The two-time heavyweight champion has received some stick after his stunning showdown with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul was announced
Anthony Joshua has hit back at critics, insisting that his heavyweight showdown with Jake Paul is a ‘big opportunity.’
The pair will go head-to-head on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida – just days after their dust-up was formally announced. Their clash will be shown live on Netflix and is expected to be contested over eight three-minute rounds and will be staged as a professional contest.
Paul has not fought since his win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr back in June. The 28-year-old was due to face Gervonta Davis last Friday, but was forced to cancel the bout after ‘Tank’ faced kidnap allegations from his former girlfriend. In a desperate attempt to stay active, the ‘Problem Child’ called out several names within the world of boxing, including Joshua and Terence Crawford.
But it was Joshua who was quick to accept the challenge. The two-time heavyweight champion has not fought since his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 at Wembley Stadium. ‘AJ’ has received some backlash after agreeing to face Paul – a natural cruiserweight – but the boxer himself has slammed the doubters.
“Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy. I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show,” Joshua said in a press release. “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.”
Providing Joshua comes away unscathed from his fight with Paul, the 36-year-old is expected to have a tune-up fight in Saudi Arabia in February before chasing a summer showdown with Tyson Fury. The pair have traded barbs over the years, but a showdown between the has yet to materialise.
Speaking of Joshua’s future, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh told DAZN ahead of Conor Benn’s victory over Chris Eubank Jr on Saturday night: “We will have Joshua in our country in February. Next year, we have two big events here in London, which will be a surprise.” He added: “Then there is the big fight, one of the greatest fights in the history of boxing in London, maybe in September. We will have a surprise for the fans.”
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Despite Alalshikh’s plans, Paul has vowed to ‘sleep’ his upcoming foe on December 19. “This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day,” he 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. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. 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.”
Paul’s business partner, Nakisa Bidarian, also had his say on the news, saying: “Everyone laughed when Jake Paul said in March that he wanted to fight AJ in 2026. Well, plans changed, and in under two weeks, MVP and Netflix have made one of the biggest fights of all time.
“Now, as only Jake Paul could and would do, he’s fighting one of the most fearsome boxers in the world. Joshua has every advantage in this fight, except one – the delusional confidence of Jake Paul, and 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.”
When is Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul?
Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul will clash in Miami on December 19, just six days before Christmas. The pair will likely walk to the ring at around 11pm local time which would be 4am in the UK. Fight times are usually set to benefit the American audience and are subject to change depending on how long the undercard takes to complete. The event is set to be shown live on Netflix.
