Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua are finalizing a deal for a heavyweight fight in December in Miami, sources told The Ring’s Mike Coppinger.
The event would reportedly be streamed live on Netflix. It’s unclear whether Paul-Joshua would be sanctioned as a professional bout or an exhibition.
Paul was scheduled to face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis in an exhibition on Nov. 14, but the fight was canceled last week after a civil lawsuit was filed against Davis in Miami-Dade County. Most Valuable Promotions CEO Nakisa Bidarian said Paul would fight someone else before the end of the year.
Now, the YouTube star turned prizefighter is pivoting to what would be the toughest test of his career against Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight champion.
Joshua, 36, hasn’t stepped into the ring since September 2024, when he suffered a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois. However, prior to that, the Englishman was riding a four-fight winning streak, including a devastating knockout against former UFC champion Francis Ngannou. Joshua holds a 28-4 pro record with 25 knockouts.
Paul is coming off a unanimous decision win over former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June. The 28-year-old Ohio native has won six in a row, including a lackluster decision over heavyweight legend Mike Tyson a year ago. Paul holds a 12-1 record with seven knockouts.
