Joshua vs Paul bout confirmed for December 19th
Anthony Joshua will take on Jake Paul in an eight-round sanctioned bout on December 19th in Miami, Florida.
Talk has been rife of controversial YouTube star Paul squaring off with the British former heavyweight champion for weeks, after the American's clash with Gervonta Davis fell through following a civil lawsuit being filed against his prospective opponent.
Now, it has been confirmed that Joshua – who held the WBO, WBA and IBF Heavyweight belts as recently as 2021 – will be stepping in for a fight that, while controversial in the extreme, will undoubtedly have the eyes of the world on it.
In a statement, Jake Paul said: "This isn't an AI simulation. This is Judgment 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."
Joshua said he is returning to boxing with a 'mega show' and that he intends to 'break the internet over Jake Paul's face'.
Paul's boxing resume has often been criticised due to selective matchmaking, with many of the 28-year-old's wins coming against smaller framed former mixed martial artists such as Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz.
He then caused more controversy last year when beating Mike Tyson, with the former heavyweight champion coming out of retirement at the age of 59 and suffering a points loss to a man more than 30 years his junior.
Paul's only fight against a recognised boxing professional was a points loss to Tommy Fury – half-brother of Tyson – in February 2023. Given that result, it's hardly surprising that bookmakers have hugely sided with Joshua in their early betting markets.
The Londoner is no bigger than 1/10 to get the victory over Paul in Miami, with a stoppage success priced at what could prove a very generous 1/4 (Bet365). Paul is 6/1 to cause an upset – with Bet365 making him 11/1 to stop Joshua and 18/1 to win the contest on points.
Many boxing fans will be hoping that Joshua can deliver the kind of convincing success that he did against Francis Ngannou in March 2024 and in doing so, effectively end the Paul experiment.
For the American, though, a victory would only serve to cement his claim that he is a genuine heavyweight title contender and surely rank as one of sport's all-time greatest upsets.
Prices correct as of 5pm on Monday November 17th, 2025.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
Matt Hill is Odds Now's Head of Content and leads our digital operation, while also offering his insight as a tipster across darts and football.
Having worked in the industry for the best part of a decade, including extended stints with Betfred and LiveScore, Matt joined the project in May 2024 with the sole aim of making Odds Now a key player in the betting content space.
He has also forged a reputation as a respected darts tipster, landing numerous three-figure outright winners over the years, while his love for lower league football also helps him pick out the odd obscure winner in that space.
When not at the editorial desk, Matt enjoys travelling the country supporting his beloved Carlisle United FC, chucking a few arrows and spending time with his young family.
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