Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul will headline a major boxing event on December 19, with the heavyweight contest scheduled to take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
The announcement comes after Paul’s planned fight with Gervonta Davis was called off due to a civil lawsuit involving the lightweight champion. Joshua, a former two-time unified world heavyweight champion, steps in as the new opponent for an eight-round sanctioned bout using 10oz gloves.
Paul, who has steadily transitioned from online celebrity to professional boxer, described the matchup as a pivotal moment in his career. He vowed to silence critics by defeating Joshua and positioning himself for a future world title shot.
“This is Judgment Day,” Paul said in a statement, adding that the fight will be streamed live worldwide on Netflix.
Joshua, who has not fought since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, welcomed the opportunity to return to the ring. He said he is prepared for a major comeback and intends to deliver a dominant performance.
“I’m here for big fights and big numbers,” Joshua stated. “Jake or anyone else can get this work. No mercy.”
Paul’s most recent heavyweight appearance was a points victory against a returning Mike Tyson last November. Joshua, with 28 wins and four losses on his record, has enjoyed a distinguished career, including unifying the WBO, WBA, and IBF titles and reclaiming them after his upset loss to Andy Ruiz in 2019. His reign ended when he was defeated by Oleksandr Usyk, now the undisputed heavyweight champion.
