Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua was the biggest mismatch-on-paper of 2025, and it played out the way most boxing people expected, with a few surprises along the way. On December 19, 2025, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua stopped the YouTuber-turned-boxer in the sixth round. This guide covers the paul vs joshua results, the full fight card, the odds, the purse, what time it started, and what comes next for both men.
Biography Table
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Event Name | Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day |
| Date | Friday, December 19, 2025 |
| Venue | Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida |
| Broadcaster | Netflix (streamed live worldwide) |
| Bout Type | Eight-round professional heavyweight fight |
| Sanctioning Body | Florida Athletic Commission |
| Winner | Anthony Joshua |
| Method | Knockout (KO), Round 6, 1:31 |
| Referee | Chris Young |
| Official Weights | Joshua 243.4 lbs, Paul 216.6 lbs |
| Promoter | Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) |
| Records After Fight | Joshua 29-4, Paul 12-2 |
Paul vs Joshua Results: Who Won the Fight
Anthony Joshua won by sixth-round knockout. The final right hand landed early in the sixth, and referee Chris Young waved it off at 1:31 when Paul could not beat the 10 count. It was the first knockout loss of Jake Paul’s professional career.
The finish came after Joshua dropped Paul twice in the fifth round. Paul got up unsteadily both times and survived the bell, but he had nothing left to offer. In the sixth, Joshua backed him into a corner, landed a hard overhand right, and ended the night.
Across the fight, Paul went to the canvas roughly half a dozen times. Not all of those were real knockdowns. Some were slips, pushes, and falls in the clinch. The official knockdowns, though, were clean and came from power shots in the final two rounds.
From watching a lot of crossover fights, I can tell you the result itself wasn’t the story. The story was how long Paul lasted. Many analysts predicted an early Joshua win, some as soon as round 4. Paul made it into the sixth, which says something about his preparation, even in defeat.
How the Knockout Happened Round by Round
Paul’s plan was obvious from the opening bell: move, don’t trade, and make the bigger, stronger man chase. The larger-than-usual ring helped him do that. Joshua stayed patient early, pumping the jab and waiting for Paul to tire.
| Round | What Happened |
|---|---|
| Round 1 | Paul used lateral movement and evaded Joshua’s jab. Joshua stayed calm and measured distance. |
| Round 2 | Paul ducked and darted, clinched often, and the referee warned him for holding. |
| Round 3 | Joshua began working the body. Paul backpedaled and avoided engaging. |
| Round 4 | Paul had his best moment with a cheeky uppercut, but Joshua’s pressure grew. |
| Round 5 | Joshua landed a huge right hand and dropped Paul twice. A 10-7 round for Joshua. |
| Round 6 | Joshua trapped Paul on the ropes and finished him with a straight right at 1:31. |
The middle rounds were frustrating for Joshua. Paul smothered his punches, claimed he was pushed, and used falls as small time-outs. Fans in the crowd booed at times. But the body work Joshua invested in the first half paid off late.
By round 5, Paul had wilted. His legs slowed, and his movement stopped being defensive and became survival. Once Joshua could plant his feet, the power gap was too wide. One clean combination on the ropes changed everything.
Rules and Scoring for the Fight
This was not an exhibition. It was a professional sanctioned heavyweight fight approved by the Florida Athletic Commission, which means the result counts on both men’s official records.
- Rounds: Eight three-minute rounds (not 12 like heavyweight title fights)
- Gloves: 10-ounce gloves
- Ring size: 22×22 feet, bigger than the standard 20×20
- Scoring: 10-point must system, judged on clean punches, effective aggression, ring control, and defense
- Fouls: Headbutts and low blows could cost points
The bigger ring was a notable concession. More space favors the smaller, faster fighter. It gave Paul room to escape, which is partly why the fight lasted as long as it did.
The 10-point must system also explains the early scorecards. Paul was rarely winning rounds, but he wasn’t losing them badly either. A 10-8 round needs a knockdown or total dominance. Once Joshua scored those, the fight was effectively over on any card.
Jake Paul vs Joshua Date, Time and Venue
The jake paul vs joshua date was Friday, December 19, 2025. The fight took place at the Kaseya Center in downtown Miami, home of the NBA’s Miami Heat.
Fight week ran through South Beach. The final press conference was held at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach on December 17, and the public weigh-in took place at the Fillmore Miami Beach on December 18. Open workouts were held earlier that week, on December 16.
Miami made sense for this event. Paul had built his boxing base in Florida, and the city pulls a mix of boxing fans, celebrities, and casual viewers. That crowd matched the unusual pairing perfectly.
What Time Was Paul vs Joshua and How to Watch
If you’re wondering what time is paul vs joshua, the main card began at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). The preliminary card started earlier, at around 4:45 p.m. ET. Main event ring walks came later in the night, as is normal.
The whole event streamed live on Netflix, globally, and was included in all Netflix plans. There was no pay-per-view charge, which is a big reason viewership was so high. Netflix reported around 33 million viewers for the event.
The fight is still available to stream on Netflix as a replay. If you missed it live, the full main card can be watched on demand.
Netflix’s broadcast team included Mauro Ranallo on blow-by-blow, with analysts such as Andre Ward, Lennox Lewis, and Laila Ali. Kate Scott and Ariel Helwani were part of the studio and backstage coverage.
Jake Paul vs Joshua Fight Card and Undercard
The jake paul vs joshua fight card featured a four-bout main card and a preliminary card packed with women’s title fights and Olympians. MVP built the card to mix star power with real championship boxing.
| Bout | Division | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul | Heavyweight | Joshua wins by KO, R6 1:31 |
| Alycia Baumgardner vs Leila Beaudoin | Super featherweight (WBA/IBF/WBO titles) | Baumgardner retained by unanimous decision |
| Jahmal Harvey (main card bout) | Featherweight | Harvey won by unanimous decision |
The co-feature saw Alycia Baumgardner defend her WBA, IBF, and WBO super featherweight titles against Leila Beaudoin. Baumgardner retained comfortably on the scorecards, adding another title-level win to her run.
Jahmal Harvey, the 2020 Olympian co-managed under the MVP banner, stayed perfect as a pro with a unanimous decision. Performances like his are why MVP uses these big cards: to put rising prospects in front of a massive audience.
The paul vs joshua undercard prelims featured several strong female fighters. Names included Caroline Dubois, defending her WBC lightweight belt, Cherneka Johnson in an undisputed bantamweight clash, and Yokasta Valle at WBC minimumweight. Keno Marley and Avious Griffin also appeared.
Anderson Silva, the former MMA great, was also part of the card in a cruiserweight bout. His presence connected the event to Paul’s earlier career, since Paul beat Silva in 2022.
Paul vs Joshua Odds Before the Fight
The paul vs joshua odds were among the most lopsided of any big-name fight in recent years. Anthony Joshua was a heavy betting favorite, often priced at around 10-to-1 or shorter at major sportsbooks. Paul was a long underdog.
The jake paul vs joshua odds reflected the size and experience gap. Joshua was an Olympic gold medalist and two-time unified champion. Paul had never faced an active elite heavyweight puncher. Bookmakers weren’t buying the upset.
The most popular prop bets focused on method and round. Many bettors backed a Joshua KO in round 6 or 7, while others expected it much earlier. The “fight goes the distance” option paid well because few believed Paul could survive eight rounds.
In hindsight, the odds were right on the winner but a bit pessimistic about Paul’s durability. He was expected to fold early and instead forced Joshua to work for more than five rounds.
Paul vs Joshua Purse and Fighter Earnings
The official paul vs joshua purse figures were not publicly confirmed in full, but both men were widely reported to earn eight-figure paydays. It ranked among the richest non-title fights in boxing history.
Jake Paul was treated as the A-side of the event. He co-founded Most Valuable Promotions and brings Netflix’s audience with him. That leverage usually means Paul’s guaranteed fee sits at or near the top of the purse split.
Joshua, meanwhile, had a strong negotiating hand too. He was coming off a 15-month layoff after his fifth-round KO loss to Daniel Dubois, and fighting Paul offered a huge payday with far less risk than a top heavyweight.
Because the fight streamed on Netflix rather than pay-per-view, earnings came mostly from guaranteed fees rather than PPV bonuses. That’s a key difference from traditional boxing mega-fights, where fighters often chase upside based on buys.
Tale of the Tape: Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua
The physical gap was the first thing people noticed. Joshua weighed in at 243.4 lbs, while Paul came in at 216.6 lbs, a difference of 26.8 lbs. Paul had moved up from cruiserweight, where he held a No. 14 WBA ranking.
| Category | Jake Paul | Anthony Joshua |
|---|---|---|
| Record Before Fight | 12-1 (7 KOs) | 28-4 (25 KOs) |
| Record After Fight | 12-2 (7 KOs) | 29-4 (26 KOs) |
| Fight-Night Weight | 216.6 lbs | 243.4 lbs |
| Turned Pro | 2020 | 2013 |
| Amateur Pedigree | None | 2012 Olympic gold medalist |
| Best Win | Julio César Chávez Jr. | Wladimir Klitschko |
| Nationality | American | British |
Jake Paul Background and Record
Jake Paul turned pro in 2020 as a viral disruptor. His early wins came mostly against former MMA fighters, including Tyron Woodley (twice), Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz. Critics said he was picking easy opponents, and that criticism followed him for five years.
His first defeat came in February 2023, a split-decision loss to Tommy Fury. That result forced Paul to take boxing more seriously. He returned with better conditioning and a more patient style.
In 2024, Paul beat 58-year-old Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in a Netflix event watched by around 108 million viewers. Then, in June 2025, he outpointed former champion Julio César Chávez Jr. over 10 rounds, his best win on paper.
Paul also collected some recognition outside the ring, including a spot on lists of the most influential figures in sports. Still, Joshua was a huge step up, and everyone knew it.
Anthony Joshua Background and Record
Anthony Joshua won Olympic gold at London 2012 and turned pro soon after. He won his first world title, the IBF belt, against Charles Martin in 2016. A year later, he beat Wladimir Klitschko in front of nearly 90,000 fans at Wembley.
His career has had real setbacks. In 2019, Andy Ruiz Jr. stunned him at MSG, before Joshua won the rematch six months later in Saudi Arabia to become a two-time unified champion. He then lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua rebuilt with wins over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and a second-round KO of Francis Ngannou. But in September 2024, Daniel Dubois knocked him out in five rounds at Wembley, leading to a 15-month layoff.
Now 36 and working with trainer Derrick James, Joshua needed a statement win. Beating Paul wasn’t a career-defining result, but finishing him convincingly kept his name in the heavyweight title conversation.
Post-Fight Reactions and Jake Paul’s Broken Jaw
Joshua was honest after the fight. He said it wasn’t his best performance and took longer than expected. He credited Paul for getting up after being hurt and called him a real fighter, while explaining his plan was a systematic breakdown to pin Paul down.
Paul was gracious in defeat. He admitted he got beaten by a great fighter and said Joshua’s weight and power were the difference. He said he enjoyed it, felt tired late, and believed better cardio would have helped.
The bigger news came after the fight. Paul’s jaw was broken in two places. He spat blood in the ring, skipped the post-fight press conference, and went to a Miami University hospital, where a scan confirmed the break.
MVP CEO Nakisa Bidarian confirmed Paul underwent surgery, which went smoothly. Paul posted on X from the hospital and said he was on liquids. The expected recovery was around four to six weeks before he could resume normal activity.
What’s Next for Joshua and Paul
For Joshua, the target is clear. He called out Tyson Fury in his post-fight interview and said he wants Fury next. Multiple reports suggest a Joshua vs Fury fight is in the works for 2026, with a possible date around September.
That fight would finally deliver the all-British heavyweight clash fans have wanted for nearly a decade. It could also set Joshua up for another title shot if he wins.
Paul’s path is less certain. He talked about taking a break after six hard years, then coming back. He suggested a return to cruiserweight, closer to his natural weight, where a world title shot remains his long-term goal.
Honestly, dropping back to cruiserweight is the smart move. Paul showed he can take punishment and keep fighting, but heavyweight power is a different level. At his own weight, he’s far more competitive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua fight?
Anthony Joshua won by knockout in round 6 at 1:31. He dropped Paul twice in the fifth and finished him early in the sixth with a right hand. It was the first stoppage loss of Paul’s pro career.
Was Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua a real professional fight?
Yes. It was a sanctioned professional heavyweight bout approved by the Florida Athletic Commission, not an exhibition. The result counts on both fighters’ official records.
How many viewers watched Paul vs Joshua?
Netflix reported around 33 million viewers for the event. It streamed live globally with no extra pay-per-view charge, which helped it reach a huge audience.
Where can I watch the Jake Paul vs Joshua fight replay?
The full fight is still available to stream on Netflix on all plans. You can watch the main card and prelims on demand.
How much did Jake Paul weigh against Anthony Joshua?
Jake Paul weighed 216.6 lbs, while Joshua came in at 243.4 lbs. That 26.8-lb gap was one of the main reasons Joshua’s power was too much in the later rounds.
Will Anthony Joshua fight Tyson Fury next?
Joshua publicly called out Tyson Fury after the win, and reports suggest the fight is being targeted for 2026. Nothing was officially signed at the time of the post-fight interview.
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