Paul, Joshua to square off Dec. 19 on Netflix

It'll be a big day for boxing fans on Dec. 19, as Jake Paul will fight former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a professional bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Netflix announced Monday.

The bout between Paul and Joshua is an official fight under standard boxing rules, according to boxing insider Dan Rafael.

"This isn't an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day," Paul said in a statement. "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."

Paul was originally scheduled to take on Gervonta "Tank" Davis in an exhibition on Nov. 14, but the fight was canceled after a civil lawsuit was filed against Davis in Miami-Dade County at the end of October.

This will be the biggest fight of Paul's career, with the 28-year-old YouTuber turned prizefighter having mostly fought MMA combatants or fighters past their prime since transitioning to boxing.

Paul defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by unanimous decision in June in his most recent bout, following a unanimous decision win over a 58-year-old Mike Tyson last November.

Paul owns a professional record of 12 wins and one loss, with seven knockouts.

Joshua, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time heavyweight champion, lost his titles to Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021 and hasn't reclaimed any since. He's lost three of his last seven fights, including an IBF title bout against Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

In his prime, Joshua was considered the top heavyweight in the world, picking up 25 of his 28 career wins by knockout.