Anthony Joshua will return to the ring in a headline-grabbing bout against Jake Paul on December 19 in Miami, marking the British heavyweight’s first fight since a knockout loss in September and Paul’s most ambitious matchup yet, streamed live on Netflix.
The streaming giant confirmed the event Monday, following weeks of speculation. Paul’s company, Most Valuable Promotions, announced the matchup after his planned November fight with Gervonta Davis was scrapped due to domestic violence allegations against Davis.
The fight will take place at an undisclosed venue in Miami and is expected to draw a massive global audience.
“This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day,” Paul said in a statement. “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 19 December, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
Joshua, 36, hasn’t fought since being stopped by Daniel Dubois in September 2024. The former two-time unified heavyweight champion brings a wealth of experience and physical dominance to the ring, standing as the most accomplished and dangerous opponent Paul has faced.
“Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy,” Joshua said. “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 whilst 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.”
Paul, 27, has built his boxing résumé by defeating retired MMA fighters and aging boxing icons. His most recent bout against Mike Tyson broke records on Netflix, peaking at 65 million concurrent viewers and drawing an estimated 108 million average global audience.
That fight accounted for more than half of all U.S. television viewing during its broadcast window. This time, Paul faces a legitimate heavyweight contender in Joshua, who is 23 years younger than Tyson and still active in the sport.
The matchup is seen as a significant leap in competition for the YouTuber-turned-boxer. Promoter Eddie Hearn, who represents Joshua, didn’t hold back when asked about Paul’s chances.
Both fighters are expected to secure eight-figure paydays, with industry analysts predicting tens of millions in revenue from the Netflix broadcast. The fight marks another significant investment in combat sports for the platform, which has leaned into live events following the success of the Tyson-Paul spectacle.
The heavyweight clash between Joshua and Paul is set for December 19 in Miami and will stream exclusively on Netflix.
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