Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are finalizing a deal for a heavyweight bout in Miami this December, sources have told the Guardian, with Netflix preparing to announce the fight on Monday. A source familiar with the negotiations said the deal has been concluded and the fight will take place either on December 19 or 26.
Paul was originally scheduled to fight Gervonta Davis on November 14 at Kaseya Center, but the event was canceled after Davis was removed from the card. amid allegations of domestic violence. Davis' former partner, Courtney Rossel, filed a civil lawsuit in Miami-Dade County accusing the lightweight champion of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Miami Gardens police confirmed they are investigating an alleged incident that Rossel said happened at the strip club where she works. Shortly thereafter, she was granted a restraining order.
Most Valuable Stocks, Paul's Company and Netflix canceled the show shortly after the lawsuit became public. “Our team has worked closely with all parties to handle this situation responsibly,” Nakisa Bidarian, MVP’s chief executive, said at the time. “While we will not be moving forward with this event, our plan remains for Jake Paul to headline the event on Netflix in 2025.”
Pavel replied publicly criticize Davis on Xcalling him a “true walking human piece of trash” and apologizing to the undercard fighters and staff affected by the cancellation.
Following Davis' departure, Paul's team explored other opponents, including Ryan Garcia and undisputed super middleweight champion Terence Crawford. Negotiations then accelerated with Joshua, a former two-time world heavyweight champion who has not fought since. being stopped by Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn said the 36-year-old hopes to return before the end of the year and possibly early 2026. The December fight with Paul will mark Joshua's first appearance in more than 15 months and will bring Netflix, whose boxing TV shows have included Paul's fight with Mike Tyson And Crawford vs Canelo Alvareza bright replacement for the canceled fight with Davis.
This was reported by a source familiar with the situation. Netflix expects to have an exact date before Monday's announcement. The fight is expected to take place in Miami and will be broadcast on the platform around the world.
Netflix's first boxing show, Paul's fight with Tyson, became the most-streamed sporting event in history, peaking at 65 million live concurrent streams and attracting an average of 108 million live viewers worldwide, the company said. in a press release. The broadcast accounted for 56% of all US television viewership during the fight's main event hour and was the number one title on the platform in 78 countries this week.
