Image sourced from Pixabay
Anthony Joshua will face Jake Paul in a professionally sanctioned heavyweight bout on 19 December at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
The fight, branded Judgement Day, will be streamed live on Netflix, at no extra cost to current subscribers.
Britain’s Joshua, the 36-year-old former two-time unified heavyweight champion, will take on the YouTuber-turned-boxer over eight three-minute rounds, with both fighters wearing regulation 10-ounce gloves.
This represents a replacement fight for Paul, who was originally scheduled to face Gervonta Davis in an exhibition earlier this month before it was cancelled due to a lawsuit filed against Davis by his ex-girlfriend.
Instead, the American will face his most credible opponent to date in Joshua, a former heavyweight champion with a professional record of 28 wins and four losses, 25 of those victories coming by knockout.
Rules and Regulations for Judgement Day
The fight has been sanctioned as a professional heavyweight contest, meaning it will count on both men’s official records.
Joshua must weigh in under 245lbs, a contractual stipulation that shouldn’t present problems despite the Watford fighter tipping the scales over 250lbs in his last three outings.
Early rumours linking AJ to a fight with Paul were initially brushed aside, yet the former champion now steps back into the ring for the first time since being stopped by then – IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois in September 2024. A reported £35 million payday helped turn speculation into a signed deal.
Paul has delivered some eye-catching knockouts against opponents including former UFC fighters and, most recently, the 58-year-old Mike Tyson in an exhibition that drew massive viewership but have done little to boost his credibility.
He is also the shortest opponent of Joshua’s in a decade. The American is five inches shorter than the Brit, the same size as Michael Sprott, who only lasted one round with AJ in Liverpool back in 2014.
The Odds and the Reality
Joshua is priced at 1/16 to win at Judgement Day, odds that reflect the enormous gap in class between the two fighters.
It paints Paul as the clear underdog in the betting odds, with UK betting sites and beyond struggling to see a way in which “The Problem Child” snatches a victory.
For context, 1/16 odds imply Joshua is an overwhelming favourite, the type of market usually reserved for bouts with a clear gulf in class.
With the winner widely expected, other interest shifts to how long the fight might last. Round betting has become the more revealing indicator, reflecting the debate over whether Joshua will look to go for the kill early, or whether the 4/1 price on the fight going the full distance proves correct.
Paul’s 7/1 odds are generous only in the sense that anything can happen in heavyweight boxing, but they also acknowledge the reality that this shouldn’t be competitive.
What’s Been Said?
In the lead-up to the bout, Paul has been vocal about his intentions and hasn’t shied away from bold predictions.
Paul said: “This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgement Day.
“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.”
However, British boxers are genuinely concerned about the matchup, with some questioning whether the sport should have sanctioned it at all.
“If that fight happens, somebody better go to jail. AJ is going to kill him, it’s unfair. Someone has to go to jail,” former heavyweight title challenger Dereck Chisora told Seconds Out. “He [Paul] hasn’t got the power to knock out Joshua. Jake Paul goes home in an ambulance after that fight.”
A New Era or a Circus Act?
The broader debate is what this fight represents. Can YouTubers truly transition into professional boxing at the highest level, or is this another celebrity act designed to generate clicks and cash?
With the Brit set to earn a £35 million payday, AJ and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, would have found it hard to turn down, though Boxing traditionalists have greeted news of this bout with mixed opinions.
Many view it as a circus attraction, a money grab that diminishes the sport’s integrity. The criticism centres on the vast gulf in experience and legitimacy between the two fighters.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist has competed at the highest level of professional boxing, winning world titles and facing elite competition. Paul, by contrast, has carefully cherry-picked his opponents to avoid excessive danger while building a profile that generates astronomical pay-per-view numbers.
Tyson, at 58, posed minimal threat. UFC fighters like Tyron Woodley brought name value but lacked boxing fundamentals. Joshua represents a different caliber of danger entirely
Joshua should win easily. He should end this inside six rounds, demonstrating the gulf between a real heavyweight and a manufactured one. Anything less invites scrutiny not just of Joshua’s decline, but of a sport willing to sanction fights that serve streaming figures over competition.
Prediction: Joshua by knockout, Round 4. A dominant display that ends early and definitively.