On December 19, the boxing world is in for something that just a couple of years ago would have seemed impossible: former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua will step into the ring against influencer and fledgling pro Jake Paul. And this is not a mere exhibition show but an official bout that will be broadcast on Netflix – on the same platform where, a year ago, Mike Tyson and Paul himself boxed in an exhibition. How did it even happen that, instead of Gervonta Davis, it is Joshua who is walking into the lion's cage on short notice?
How the Davis Fight Collapsed and Chaos Hit the Card
Originally, Jake Paul was preparing for an exhibition match against Gervonta Davis, scheduled for November 15. The format looked perfect for hype: a brash blogger versus a scandal-ridden knockout artist. But just a week and a half before fight night, the whole story fell apart – Davis's ex-girlfriend accused him of kidnapping and assault and took him to court.
For Gervonta, this was not the first such episode. In 2025, he had already spent a month in jail for attacking another ex-girlfriend who had given him two children. He was released in August after she withdrew her complaint, but Davis's reputation was shattered for good. Because of his legal problems, his rematch with Lamont Roach, planned for August, also collapsed.
Against this backdrop, the option with Jake Paul emerged: the parties agreed on an exhibition bout to be streamed on Netflix, even though Davis gives up roughly 30 kilograms in weight to Paul. Back then, Jake cared little about his opponent's behavior, but after the fight fell through, his stance changed dramatically.
Paul tore into Davis in public, calling him a "walking piece of trash", complaining about constant lateness, mood swings and "complete unprofessionalism". He added: "If you support this man, you are sharing one of the vilest sins a man can commit." In the end, Jake canceled not the entire event but just the fight with Davis, pushed the show back to mid-December and started looking for a new opponent.
Star Shortlist and Ngannou's Refusal: Why Joshua Was the Last Man Standing
After the fight was canceled, Paul's promoters quickly put together a shortlist of contenders. The names in the frame included Ryan Garcia, Carl Froch, Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz, Anthony Joshua, Terence Crawford and Andre Ward.
In terms of rankings and fan interest, Garcia looked like the best option, but his contractual obligations to DAZN held him back – the streaming service was not about to let its top star appear on rival platform Netflix. Nate Diaz, by contrast, was pushing hard for a rematch, but the matchmakers knew full well that a second episode with the same opponent would attract far less attention.
Talks with Carl Froch also broke down, while Francis Ngannou reacted very sharply and publicly. The Cameroonian said he saw no sense in such a fight and viewed the shift from Davis to Ngannou as a sign of disrespect: "Bro, no, what are you doing? You don't need to treat me that unseriously."
That is why Anthony Joshua's "yes" sounded particularly loud. He is under contract with Matchroom Boxing and DAZN; on top of that, he is a shareholder, special advisor and brand ambassador for the platform. But according to insider Rick Glaser, Paul's company MVP paid DAZN a hefty compensation fee for the right to have Joshua appear in the ring specifically on Netflix. On paper, the conflict of interest is thus removed – the money tipped the scales.
Jake Paul: From "Overrated" Lists to Calling Out Joshua
Jake Paul has long and consistently been building the image of a man who is not afraid to call out any star he likes. At various times he has challenged Gervonta Davis, Anthony Joshua and Saul Alvarez, while also putting together his own top-10 list of the most overrated athletes in history. In that ranking, Ryan Garcia came in fourth, Conor McGregor fifth, Canelo eighth and Joshua tenth.
At the same time, Jake never stopped stoking interest. Back in March 2025, he said: "I want to fight Anthony Joshua because I know I'll kick his ass. He has no chin, no skills, he's stiff. I love you, Anthony, we're friends. But I still want to get in the ring with you."
In June, Paul defeated former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez and crashed into the WBA cruiserweight top 15. Just a month later, he showed up at the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois, stared down the Ukrainian and then posted: "First Joshua, then Usyk. Write it down."
It later emerged that talks with Joshua's camp had in fact been going on for quite some time. According to Paul, they agreed that each of them would have two more fights and then meet each other. "He called me and said, 'I'm going to kill you, you're going to have to fight for your life.' And I replied, 'OK, let's go, big guy'," Jake recalled. The Davis scandal simply sped up the inevitable.
"We'll Have to Wheel His Balls Around in a Cart": Hearn's Take and Joshua's Condition
Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has never hidden that, in theory, a fight with Paul is possible, even if at first he spoke about it as a joke. He summed it up with a grin: "If Paul really signs a contract to fight Joshua, my respect for him will go through the roof – I'll struggle to believe he actually dared to do that. If he really does step in against Anthony, we might have to wheel his balls around in a cart after the fight, you know?"
Joshua himself has been in need of a big comeback for a long time. He has not boxed since September 2024, when he was brutally knocked out by Daniel Dubois in a title fight. Throughout 2025, Anthony did not have a single bout because of elbow issues, but by the end of the year he returned to training camp and began actively looking for a way back.
According to Hearn, Joshua is now ready to step in on short notice for an eight-rounder, while a full 12-round title fight should logically be expected at the start of 2026. For a man who usually filled stadiums, an eight-round internet-streamed fight looks unusual, but that is exactly where the intrigue lies – far less pomp and far more risk.
Fight Terms: Why This Is Not Just a Show for Views
Promoters and the fighters themselves stress that Joshua vs Paul is not some "sparring session for the cameras" but an official professional bout. The terms are as follows:
- Eight three-minute rounds;
- 10-ounce gloves (and not 16-ounce, as in the Tyson vs Paul exhibition);
- A weight limit of 111.1 kg for Joshua.
In his recent fights, Anthony has usually weighed in around 114–115 kg, but he has already proven that he can boil down to 111 kg: he hit that mark in both of his fights with Oleksandr Usyk, as well as in his bouts with Andy Ruiz, Kubrat Pulev and Joseph Parker. So the limit is realistic on paper – but it will still demand discipline and a well-planned camp.
Joshua's Future at Stake: What Happens if Paul Pulls Off an Upset?
Despite the loss to Dubois, Joshua remains one of the key figures in the heavyweight division. At one of the boxing nights headlined by Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn, influential sports power broker Turki Al ash-Sheikh sketched out a rough roadmap for Anthony: a fight under the Riyadh Season umbrella in February 2026 and then a big night in London in the autumn. Among the potential opponents for that autumn fight, the name of Tyson Fury has been mentioned, although Turki has yet to confirm anything publicly.
But that entire blueprint can crumble in an instant if Joshua suffers a shock defeat to a YouTuber-turned-boxer. Al ash-Sheikh is brutally honest about it: "If Joshua beats Paul, that's the ideal scenario for me – I get rid of one headache. If it goes the other way around, I'll understand it's time to close the book on Joshua."
One Month to the Showdown: Crazy Risk or Stroke of Genius?
The fight between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul is not just yet another piece of entertainment featuring a YouTuber – it is a genuine test for both men. For Paul, this is a chance to prove that his move into boxing is not a parody but a full-fledged career in which he is ready to risk his health against true heavyweights. For Joshua, it is a massive gamble for the sake of a high-profile comeback: a win will strengthen his status and fuel interest in future fights in Saudi Arabia and London, while a loss could wipe out what is left of his title ambitions.
In a month, we will find out who turns out to be the crazy genius and who has taken a step after which he'll have to "wheel his own balls around in a cart" in terms of his career. One thing is already clear: on December 19, the world will witness one of the strangest and most talked-about fights in modern boxing – and it will be almost as hard to look away from this spectacle as it is to believe it is actually happening.
