- Jake Paul will fight former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on December 19 on Netflix.
- Paul was supposed to fight Gervonta “Tank” Davis, who ran into legal trouble.
- Joshua opens as a massive favorite over Paul.
Anthony Joshua has stepped in to face Jake Paul, replacing Gervonta “Tank” Davis. The speculations are actually true, and the fight is now official!
Joshua has opened up as a considerable favorite against Paul for their December 19 matchup.
Joshua Replaces Davis for Lucrative Paul Fight
After weeks of speculation, the fight was officially announced on Monday.
The heavyweight fight will air on Netflix on December 19. Paul was supposed to fight Gervonta “Tank” Davis on November 14, but that fight got cancelled due to Davis’ legal issues. He is accused of battery, aggravated battery, and other charges alleged by his ex-girlfriend.
Paul has been calling for Joshua for a while now, and he’ll get, by far, the biggest test of his boxing career. But Paul isn’t afraid of this tall task.
"This isn't an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day. A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime. When I beat Anthony Joshua, every doubt disappears, and no one can deny me the opportunity to fight for a world title. To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. On Friday, December 19, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain's Goliath gets put to sleep."
It’s also going to be a lucrative fight for Joshua and Paul. It is reported that the two could make a staggering $92 million each for this fight!
However, boxing betting sites aren’t giving Paul much of a chance.
Joshua Opens as Considerable Favorite Over Paul
The Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua odds to open the fight have Joshua as a -900 favorite over Paul, who comes back at +500. Joshua is 28-4 and one of the elite heavyweight boxers of this generation, winning the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics at super heavyweight. He’s won the WNBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight belts twice each. He is coming off a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Paul is 12-1, but his boxing record is littered with fights he was always likely to win. He’s fought a 58-year-old (at the time) Mike Tyson, MMA fighters Nate Diaz and Mike Perry, and journeymen looking for a payday. He recently fought Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2025, but Chavez Jr. is way past his prime.
This will be easily the biggest fight of Paul’s career, going up against a fighter who is 36 years old and probably not at his peak, but Joshua is still a good heavyweight. Paul also won’t have the size or age advantage he has had in other fights. He usually fights at heavyweight, and Davis is a lightweight, but has fought at super lightweight, which is 140 pounds.
Now, Paul gets a legitimate heavyweight with one of the hardest punches in boxing in Joshua. It would be one of the biggest upsets in boxing history if Paul defeats Joshua. If he manages it, expect more “boxing is rigged” might follow!
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