Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul official as strange but seismic boxing match looms

Join the Miguel Delaney team: Inside Football Join the Miguel Delaney Inside newsletter to get exclusive access and unparalleled insight. Football Join the Miguel Delaney Inside newsletter Football newsletterAnthony 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 main-event matches on the men’s side of the sport, and Joshua will be capped at 245lb. Each man will still wear 10oz glove instead of larger, more forgiving pair.“Jake or anyone can get this work, no mercy,” Joshua said in a recent 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,” Paul is a good example. “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.”open image in galleryJake Paul (right) in his highly-controversial fight with Mike Tyson (Getty)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.Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of BoxingNever miss a fight from top promoters. Buy NowADVERTISEMENT. You will receive a commission for signing up to the service. The revenue generated by this service helps fund the journalism at The Independent.Watch 185+ fights on DAZN – The Global Home of BoxingNever again miss a top promoter’s fight. Watch anywhere and at any time. Buy NowADVERTISEMENT. We will receive commission if you subscribe to this service. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.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 usually fights cruiserweight, but faced Tyson as a heavyweight. open image in galleryAnthony Joshua will aim to bounce back from a stoppage by Daniel Dubois (Getty Images)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. Joshua switches from DAZN, his usual broadcaster, to Netflix for the fight with Paul.
2025-11-17 17:38:45