Matchroom Boxing have confirmed that Anthony Joshua will fight the controversial boxing star Jake Paul in a professional Heavyweight fight on December 19 at the Kaseya Center, Miami.
Be careful what you wish for 🤫
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) November 17, 2025
Anthony Joshua fights Jake Paul, Friday 19 December in Miami 💥 pic.twitter.com/8p0grSqp32
The two-time heavyweight champion of the world (28-4, 25 KOs) faces the natural cruiserweight Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) in a streamed bout on Netflix.
Reminiscent of Paul’s blockbuster bout against Mike Tyson due to its pantomime feel, the fight is expected to have a prize pot of around $140 million.
‘AJ’ will enter as the huge favourite. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist is doubtlessly still a top 10 heavyweight, despite his loss to Daniel Dubois last September.
He’s no stranger to the crossover boxing game. Joshua viciously beat the dangerous former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou in late 2023 in Saudi Arabia.
In this fight, he will be expected to take out Jake Paul with ease. If Paul even lands a glove on Joshua, the fight will be labelled as illegitimate by the media and fans alike.
Paul holds victories over retired MMA fighters Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren.
The so-called ‘Problem Child’ previously beat former World Middleweight Champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June. He has since been jailed in his native Mexico.
Both Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, Joshua’s promotional company, have labelled the fight as a bout which will go under both of their professional records.
