Jake Paul will take the biggest risk of his boxing career when he faces former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua in a sanctioned heavyweight bout on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, live globally on Netflix. What began as an exhibition plan against Gervonta “Tank” Davis has turned into a full-scale jump into the true heavyweight elite against one of the most powerful punchers of his era.
From Gervonta Davis to Anthony Joshua
Originally, Paul was scheduled to meet WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis in a 195‑pound exhibition on November 14, where he would have enjoyed a massive size advantage over a much smaller opponent. That matchup collapsed on November 3 after a civil lawsuit was filed against Davis by his ex-partner, leading to the cancellation of the bout.
Determined to fight before the end of 2025, Paul and Most Valuable Promotions explored multiple opponents before fast‑tracking talks with Joshua, who was inactive while recovering from an elbow surgery in June. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn had already stated that Joshua wanted one fight at the end of 2025 before targeting a blockbuster against Tyson Fury in 2026, making the Paul fight a timely opportunity.
Fight details and rules
Paul vs Anthony Joshua will be a fully sanctioned professional heavyweight contest scheduled for eight three‑minute rounds. Both fighters will wear 10‑ounce gloves, the standard for heavyweight bouts at this level.
Although Paul is closer in weight to Joshua than many of his previous high‑profile opponents, he still enters with a clear disadvantage in both size and boxing experience. Joshua has typically weighed between roughly 229 and 254 pounds (with a reported cap of 245 pounds for this fight), while Paul usually competes around the 200‑pound cruiserweight limit and only once weighed above 227 pounds, in his 2024 exhibition against Mike Tyson.
Paul’s biggest step up in opposition
Up to now, Paul’s résumé has been built largely against MMA fighters, fellow influencers, a former NBA Slam Dunk champion, faded boxing names and an ex‑heavyweight champion who was long retired. His most recent win over Julio César Chávez Jr. — a former middleweight titleholder well past his prime — was the closest thing to a test against a “real boxer,” and he passed it convincingly over the distance.
Anthony Joshua represents a completely different level: an Olympic gold medalist, former unified heavyweight champion and one of the division’s most accomplished punchers, with more than 160 professional rounds and a record stacked with knockouts. Analysts across boxing news platforms have highlighted how steep this jump is, with many predictions giving Paul only a slim chance of surviving the full distance, let alone winning.
Why Paul wants Joshua now
From Paul’s side, the fight blends risk with calculated ambition. He has repeatedly insisted that he wants to test himself against top names and has publicly listed Joshua among his long‑term targets, initially for a possible clash in 2026.
After the Davis exhibition fell apart, the Joshua opportunity arrived earlier than expected, giving Paul the chance to fast‑track his bid for legitimacy. For a YouTuber‑turned‑boxer who built his brand online and on his Youtube Channel before entering the ring, a win — or even a highly competitive showing — against Joshua would dramatically shift how he is viewed in the sport.
Why Joshua accepted the fight
For Joshua, the matchup is widely seen as low risk and high reward on a massive global stage. He has already faced the best heavyweights of his generation and wanted a bout before the year’s end, so sharing the ring with a huge crossover star on Netflix offers significant financial upside and renewed exposure in the United States.
The U.S. market is the one Joshua has yet to fully conquer since his upset knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden in 2019. Taking on Paul, whose reach on social media and in mainstream news is enormous, helps Joshua rebuild his profile with American audiences ahead of a possible Tyson Fury super fight in 2026.
How this fight could affect Joshua
If Joshua performs as most expect and scores a decisive, early stoppage, his roadmap toward Fury and other elite heavyweights should remain intact. Fans have already seen him blow away Francis Ngannou in two rounds in 2024, reinforcing expectations that he should handle an inexperienced boxer like Paul without much difficulty.
However, Joshua is coming off a stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, a result that, while understandable against a top contender, still raised questions about his durability and current peak. If Paul manages to make the fight competitive, go long, or even hear the final bell, observers may question where Joshua stands in today’s heavyweight landscape and what it means for future predictions about his chances against Fury or other champions.
How this fight could affect Paul
For Paul, the matchup is almost a no‑lose scenario on paper. The consensus is that a proven, heavy‑handed ex‑champion should defeat him clearly, so merely surviving several rounds without being brutally knocked out could be spun as a moral victory.
If Paul shows composure, competitiveness and resilience, his credibility within the boxing world will rise, even in defeat, especially given his limited experience and lack of amateur pedigree. He has already demonstrated that a single loss does not destroy his career, as his massive digital following and promotional machine can quickly rebuild momentum and monetize almost any narrative that emerges from the fight.
The real danger for Paul is becoming the centerpiece of a viral knockout for the wrong reasons. A highlight‑reel stoppage could overshadow any technical progress he has made, though even that might still draw huge attention across social platforms and drive future events.
Economic and cultural impact
From a business perspective, Paul vs Joshua fits perfectly into the current trend of crossover boxing, where name value and streaming reach can be as important as titles. Netflix is betting on the global drawing power of both men to deliver strong numbers, adding another major live sports event to its portfolio and generating extensive news coverage well beyond traditional boxing media.
For boxing purists, the fight is controversial but impossible to ignore, blending spectacle with a genuinely dangerous matchup that could reshape how influencers and established champions interact in future matchmaking. If the event succeeds commercially, it will likely encourage similar cross‑era, cross‑discipline bouts, further blurring the lines between pure sport and entertainment.
what’s really at stake
On December 19 in Miami, Paul vs Joshua will be more than a curiosity; it will be a litmus test for both men at very different stages of their careers. Joshua risks his aura and bargaining power if he struggles, while Paul gambles his health and long‑term trajectory in exchange for a chance at boxing relevance on the biggest possible stage.
Whatever the result, the fight will influence how fans, promoters and commentators frame the future of heavyweight boxing, crossover events and the role of digital‑era celebrities inside the ring.
