The boxing world was thrown into fresh controversy on Thursday after multiple reports said former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is close to agreeing a blockbuster bout with YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul in Miami this December.
According to The Guardian, Joshua and Paul are “finalising a deal” for a heavyweight contest that would headline a Netflix card on either 19 or 26 December, with an official announcement expected from the streaming giant as early as Monday.
The fight would see Joshua return to the ring for the first time since his shock fifth-round stoppage defeat to fellow Briton Daniel Dubois in September 2024 – a loss that halted the 36-year-old’s bid to regain a version of the world heavyweight title.
For Paul, 28, it would be by far the most dangerous assignment of a brief but highly lucrative career. The American social-media star has compiled a 12–1 professional record since debuting in 2020, including a high-profile points win over 58-year-old legend Mike Tyson in 2024 and a unanimous-decision victory over former middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr in June this year.
‘Deal not done’ – Hearn urges caution
Yet, even as excitement – and disbelief – grew online, Joshua’s long-time promoter Eddie Hearn moved quickly to cool talk of a done deal.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated after an initial report from Ring Magazine claimed the fight had been “finalised”, Hearn insisted negotiations with Paul’s camp were ongoing but said talk of an agreement was “absolutely” premature.
“We have spoken, but nothing close,” Hearn was quoted as saying, adding that he doubted Paul would be “so crazy” as to step in with a seasoned heavyweight like Joshua.
Hearn has previously floated the idea of an AJ–Paul match-up as a lucrative “warm-up fight” ahead of a potential showdown with WBC champion Tyson Fury, while predicting that Joshua would “flatten” Paul quickly if the bout ever materialised.
From cancelled Tank Davis show to AJ talks
The proposed fight comes after Paul’s planned exhibition with WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, scheduled for 14 November in Miami, was cancelled when Davis was removed from the card following serious domestic-violence allegations. Netflix and Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions scrapped the entire show, but vowed the American would still headline a major event on the platform before the end of 2025.
In the scramble to find a new opponent worthy of a global Netflix main event, Paul’s team reportedly sounded out a number of big names, including Ryan Garcia and undisputed super-middleweight champion Terence Crawford, before talks accelerated with Joshua.
For Joshua – British-Nigerian, Olympic gold medallist and twice a unified world champion – a December date with Paul would end a 15-month lay-off and offer a spectacular, if risky, way to re-enter the heavyweight conversation.
Boxing purists split
Reaction from boxing insiders has been fierce. Supporters argue that, like Paul’s record-breaking Netflix bout with Tyson last year, a Joshua fight would draw huge global numbers and bring new, younger fans to the sport. Others fear another “circus show” that blurs the line between elite competition and influencer entertainment.
Even among fighters, opinion is divided. Former world champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero has gone as far as to back Paul to knock Joshua out, while Tyson Fury has publicly mocked Joshua as a “spent force” and hinted he would bet heavily on Paul – comments that have only fuelled the hype.
At the same time, Hearn and other traditionalists have repeatedly warned that the size and power gap between the men – Joshua is a natural heavyweight, Paul a big cruiserweight – could make the contest dangerously one-sided if taken lightly.
Nigerian fans watching closely
In Nigeria, where Joshua’s Yoruba roots have long made him a fan favourite, news of the potential Miami spectacle has dominated sports chatter on radio, television and social media.
For many Lagos fight fans, the proposed match-up poses a dilemma: on one hand, the chance to see “our AJ” headline another global event – this time on a platform millions of young Nigerians already use – is irresistible. On the other, there are concerns that a crossover bout with a YouTuber could further delay a serious title run in a heavyweight division packed with champions and contenders.
With Netflix yet to make its promised announcement and Hearn insisting the ink is not dry, the only certainty for now is that Joshua–Paul has already achieved one thing: it is the most talked-about potential fight in boxing as 2025 races towards its close.
Whether it becomes reality – and whether Paul really is “crazy enough” to share a ring with Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua – may be decided in the coming days.
