Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua to fight Dec 19

YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul will face former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a professional heavyweight bout on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Most Valuable Promotions confirmed to ESPN on Monday.

The fight will be streamed live globally on Netflix. Sheduled for eight three-minute rounds, both fighters will wear standard 10-ounce gloves for a professional heavyweight match.

Paul, 27, had initially been slated to face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis in an exhibition on November 14. That fight was canceled after Davis was named in a civil lawsuit alleging aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Instead, Paul now faces a two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist who has competed at weights up to 256 pounds—over 100 pounds heavier than Davis. Paul, primarily a cruiserweight with a 200-pound limit, weighed 227.25 pounds in his 2024 heavyweight exhibition against Mike Tyson.

“This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day,” Paul said. “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. 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.”

Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) remains inexperienced, with no significant amateur background and only 70 professional rounds since 2020. Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs), by contrast, has over 160 professional rounds across a 12-year career and is regarded as one of the hardest-hitting and most decorated heavyweights in the world.

“Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy,” Joshua, 36, said. “I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity. 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.”

Joshua last fought in September 2024, losing in the fifth round of his IBF title bout against Daniel Dubois. He later underwent elbow surgery and had been sidelined since. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, had indicated he would fight once in 2025 before targeting a major all-British showdown with the retired Tyson Fury, though few anticipated that fight would be against Paul.

“Everyone laughed when Jake Paul said in March that he wanted to fight AJ in 2026,” said Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions. “Well, plans changed. In under two weeks, MVP and Netflix have made one of the biggest fights of all time. Now, Jake Paul is facing one of the most fearsome boxers in the world. Joshua has every advantage except one—the delusional confidence of Jake Paul. If anyone can shock the world, it’s him. This is a global clash between two of the most recognizable figures in the sport: Jake, the face of boxing’s new era, and Joshua, the King of UK boxing.”

Originally, Paul had targeted a fight with Joshua in 2026, but following the cancellation of the Davis bout, the fight was expedited. Most Valuable Promotions said they aimed to have Paul fight before the end of the year and quickly secured Joshua as the opponent.

“They say be careful what you wish for—that’s all I need to say,” Hearn added. “Two of the biggest names in the sport will collide on Dec. 19. While I admire Jake’s courage, he’s going to find out the hard way in Miami.”