Nigerian-born British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua is preparing for a surprising return to the ring as he lines up a high-stakes clash with YouTube star Jake Paul in Miami next month.
Matchroom Boxing confirmed the matchup on Monday, setting the stage for one of the most talked-about bouts of the year.
The fight will take place at the Kaseya Centre and is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds. Both men are expected to walk away with an enormous payday, with reports indicating they will split a 184 million dollar purse evenly.
Paul stepped into this opportunity after his planned exhibition against Gervonta Davis collapsed earlier in the month. The 28-year-old American has enjoyed massive publicity since his unusual victory over Mike Tyson in Texas last November, a spectacle that pulled more than 60 million viewers on Netflix.
Joshua, now 36, has not fought since Daniel Dubois knocked him out during their IBF title fight at Wembley in September 2024. His decision to meet Paul inside the ropes has stirred a mix of curiosity and criticism, especially from fans who question why a two-time heavyweight champion is entertaining a contest with someone whose boxing credentials remain limited.
Paul’s 12-1 record has been padded by wins over ageing fighters and lesser-known opponents, with Tommy Fury delivering his only loss. Even so, the scale of the financial package explains why Joshua accepted the offer.
Behind the scenes, influential Saudi advisor Turki Alalshikh has hinted at far grander plans for Joshua beyond the December showdown. Speaking on DAZN before last month’s Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr fight, he teased several major events coming in 2026.
“I am talking now with Eddie, we have next year, two big events here in London. It will be a surprise. We will have (Anthony) Joshua in our country in February, then there is the big fight, one of the greatest fights in the history of boxing, it will be in London here, maybe in September,” Alalshikh said.
Pressed on whether the long-anticipated Joshua vs Tyson Fury clash is finally within reach, he replied, “I will not give you the answer. But we will have in April here, maybe in Tottenham, big fights. Then in September, we will have me and (Eddie Hearn), a big surprise for the fans in England.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn sounded equally upbeat. “Listen, we have all got excited about that fight for many years. I believe (Turki) is the man to make it happen. Everything we do with Anthony Joshua, we do with Turki Alalshikh,” he said.
“We have been sitting down this week. We have a lot of plans for Anthony Joshua’s future. He wants to regain the world heavyweight championship; he wants to, of course, fight Tyson Fury.”
But the pathway to a clash with Fury depends heavily on what happens in Miami. Any upset loss to Paul would shatter the buildup and potentially shut the door on one of boxing’s biggest potential events.
