YouTuber-turned-boxe Jake Paul will step into the ring against former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on Dec. 19 at Miami’s Kaseya Center. The bout — a sanctioned, eight-round heavyweight fight with standard 10-ounce gloves — replaces Paul’s canceled Nov. 14 exhibition with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, which fell apart after Davis was accused of domestic violence in a civil lawsuit.
Netflix confirmed the matchup, posting: “Yes, it’s real. JAKE PAUL vs. ANTHONY JOSHUA. A career-defining pro heavyweight fight. LIVE only on Netflix Friday, December 19. #JakeJoshua”
Talks between Paul and Joshua initially focused on a potential 2026 showdown, but negotiations accelerated once Paul’s Davis fight collapsed. The new matchup marks an extraordinary jump in weight and class for Paul, who has primarily competed at cruiserweight and only recently fought as a heavyweight in his exhibition against Mike Tyson. Paul enters with a 12-1 record and wins over two former world champions, while Joshua brings a 28-4 record and one of the most accomplished heavyweight résumés of the past decade.
For Joshua, 36, the December date comes as he eyes a February return in Saudi Arabia and potentially a long-anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury if he wins early next year. Joshua has not fought since being stopped by Daniel Dubois in September 2024, a loss that halted a four-fight winning streak. He has since undergone elbow surgery and trained without a full-time coach, working with several teams across Europe.
Paul, meanwhile, has boxed only 70 professional rounds and has never faced a heavyweight anywhere near Joshua’s level. Paul framed the bout as the moment he proves he belongs among boxing’s elite: “This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day. A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime… 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. I KNOWWWW YOU GOT EM PICKED HAHAHHA”
Joshua added: “Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy. took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity for me… 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.”
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