YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is set to face former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a professional heavyweight boxing match on December 19 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Most Valuable Promotions confirmed to ESPN. The bout will stream live on Netflix.

The match is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds, with fighters wearing 10-ounce gloves, the standard for heavyweight fights. The bout represents a sanctioned professional fight, not an exhibition.

Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) has boxed 70 total rounds as a professional since 2020 with no notable amateur experience. Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) brings over 160 rounds of professional experience across 12 years, along with an Olympic gold medal and two unified heavyweight championships.

Replacement Following Canceled Davis Fight

The matchup replaces Paul’s originally scheduled exhibition fight against WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis on November 14. Most Valuable Promotions canceled that bout after Davis was named in a civil lawsuit filed by an ex-girlfriend accusing him of aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Paul was set to face Davis, who campaigns at 130 pounds, in an exhibition with a 195-pound catchweight. Instead, Paul now faces Joshua, who has fought as high as 256 pounds – over 100 pounds heavier than Davis.

Weight and Experience Considerations

Paul has campaigned primarily as a cruiserweight with a 200-pound weight limit. He weighed 227.25 pounds for his November 2024 exhibition fight with Mike Tyson. In his most recent fight, Paul weighed 199.4 pounds for his victory against Julio César Chávez Jr. in June 2025.

Joshua has weighed between 229 and 254 pounds in his professional career. In his last outing in September 2024, Joshua was stopped in the fifth round of his IBF title fight against Daniel Dubois. He underwent elbow surgery following that loss and has been sidelined since June.

Promotional Strategy and Timeline

Paul had expressed interest in fighting Joshua earlier in 2025 and had included him on his revised hit list. The original timeline projected a potential Joshua fight in 2026 after the Davis bout. 

Most Valuable Promotions told ESPN that Paul sought to compete before the end of 2025 following the Davis cancellation, leading to negotiations with several potential opponents before securing Joshua.

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter at Matchroom Boxing, had told ESPN that Joshua planned to fight once in 2025 before targeting a fight with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury in 2026. Fury is currently retired.

The fight continues Netflix’s investment in live boxing content. Paul’s exhibition against Tyson on Netflix drew 65 million peak streams and averaged 108 million global viewers, according to Netflix metrics.

“Two of the biggest names in the sport will collide on Dec 19,” Hearn said in a statement to ESPN.

Career Context

Paul’s professional career has consisted of fights against MMA fighters, YouTubers, a former NBA slam dunk champion, journeyman boxers, and a retired heavyweight. Joshua last fought a boxing novice when he stopped former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in two rounds in March 2024.

Joshua has not fought in the United States since his knockout loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden in 2019.

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