Anthony Joshua will fight Jake Paul in a strange but seismic boxing match on Netflix, it has been confirmed.
On Friday 19 December, heavyweight star Joshua will fight the YouTuber-turned-boxer at Miami’s Kaseya Center. The bout will not be an exhibition but rather a professional contest, meaning the result will go on each man’s record and a knockout is possible.
However, the heavyweight fight is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds, making it shorter than most professional boxing matches in the men’s side of the sport. Still, each man will wear 10oz gloves rather than any larger, more forgiving pairs.
Joshua vs Paul is an example of some of the most-unexpected matchmaking in boxing history, with 36-year-old Joshua a former two-time world heavyweight champion, while Paul, 28, made his name on YouTube and the Disney Channel before establishing a boxing career.
“Jake or anyone can get this work, no mercy,” said Joshua in a press release. “I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity for me. Whether you like it or not, I’m here to do massive numbers, have big fights and break every record while keeping cool, calm and collected.
“Mark my words, you’ll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future. I’m about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face.”
“This isn’t an AI simulation, this is Judgment Day,” said Paul. “A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime. When I beat Anthony Joshua, every doubt disappears, and no one can deny me the opportunity to fight for a world title.
“To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. On Friday, December 19, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
Joshua’s record stands at 28-4 (25 KO wins), and the Briton has beaten the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin and Kubrat Pulev, while also facing Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois at the elite level.
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Meanwhile, Paul is 12-1 (7 KO wins) as a professional. The American has defeated – among others – former boxing world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, former UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva, and heavyweight boxing icon Mike Tyson.
Paul went the distance with Tyson, 58 at the time, in November 2024 and won on points in a highly-controversial fight, which played out across eight two-minute rounds. Paul typically fights at cruiserweight but faced Tyson at heavyweight.
Joshua has not fought since September 2024, when he was knocked out by Dubois at Wembley Stadium, suffering four knockdowns en route to defeat – the fourth loss of his career and second by stoppage.
The British public continues to await a generational showdown between Joshua and Tyson Fury, 37, whose half-brother Tommy is the only fighter to have beaten Paul. Joshua vs Fury is being targeted for early 2026, according to AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
In an interesting move, the fight against Paul sees Joshua veer from his usual broadcaster DAZN to compete on Netflix.
