Former unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring next month in a sensational crossover matchup against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, with both men expected to split an extraordinary $184 million purse.
The bout, officially announced on Monday by Matchroom Boxing, will take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami. The contest has been sanctioned as a professional fight and will run for eight rounds of three minutes each, marking one of the most financially lucrative events in recent boxing history.
The showdown was arranged after Paul’s previously scheduled exhibition with American lightweight star Gervonta Davis—initially slated for earlier this month—was cancelled. Stepping in to fill that gap, Joshua now finds himself preparing for an opponent whose boxing journey has drawn global attention and significant debate.
Paul, 28, enters the fight riding a wave of publicity following his headline-grabbing victory over heavyweight icon Mike Tyson in Texas back in November 2024, a blockbuster event that drew more than 60 million Netflix viewers and cemented him as a major commercial force in the sport.
For Joshua, 36, the bout marks his first return to action since suffering a stoppage defeat to fellow Briton Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024 during their IBF heavyweight title clash. The British-Nigerian star has been relatively inactive since that setback, making this high-profile comeback particularly notable.
The announcement has sparked widespread controversy across the boxing community, with critics questioning why a former two-time heavyweight champion would square off against a fighter with Paul’s limited professional pedigree. However, the staggering financial reward on the table has provided a clear incentive, underscoring the growing commercial influence of crossover fights in modern combat sports.
The matchup—combining celebrity appeal, elite boxing pedigree, and a massive prize pot—is expected to draw huge global viewership, with fans eager to see whether Paul can hold his own against one of the most accomplished heavyweight fighters of the last decade.
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