Estimated Payouts For Huge Fight

HIGHLIGHTS

• Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua are set for massive paydays when they clash December 19 at Kaseya Center in Miami
• Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn confirmed Joshua is receiving a “near-career-high payday” for the fight
• Industry sources suggest Paul’s total compensation could exceed anything he’s earned in boxing to date

Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua are set to take home eye-popping paydays for their December 19 clash at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. Joshua appeared on TMZ Sports and he was asked if he was getting a career-high payday for the fight with Paul.

Joshua said, “unfortunately it’s not,” but don’t take that to mean the former heavyweight champion isn’t going to be compensated handsomely.

How Much Are Paul And Joshua Getting Paid?

I spoke to Joshua’s promoter and the head of Matchroom, Eddie Hearn during an exclusive interview. At the 10:11 mark of the video, I asked Hearn directly about Joshua’s payday for the fight. He said Joshua is doing this for “a near-career-high payday.”

How much?

“A lot,” Hearn replied when I asked for details. “A lot. You know. All I’ll give you is a lot.”

I couldn’t help myself. I tried to narrow it down, ‘you’re talking about over $30 million?’

“Yeah, yeah,” Hearn replied. “Yeah, all of that. I mean, like, I’m not going to go into the actual purse, but, yeah.”

This conversation intrigued me, so I asked around. If Joshua is getting more than $30 million, Paul has to be bringing it at least $40 million, right?

“At a minimum,” one person in the industry told me. “Once all the dust settles, it’s easy to imagine Jake [Paul] taking home more than $50 million for this fight.”

Why Is This Fight Worth So Much?

The December 19 clash is a sanctioned eight-round heavyweight fight streaming live on Netflix as part of the “Jake vs. Joshua: Judgment Day” event.

Netflix subscribers in participating markets can watch without a separate pay-per-view fee, which sounds like a gift to fans but actually reflects the staggering investment the streaming giant has made in combat sports content.

Paul’s last outing against Mike Tyson reportedly became Netflix’s most-streamed sporting event ever. The platform is betting that Paul-Joshua can replicate or exceed those numbers.

When you factor in the global reach, the promotional machine behind both fighters, and the crossover appeal, the money starts to make sense.

For a full breakdown of when and how to watch, I’ve got you covered.

What’s The Pressure Like For Joshua?

Joshua has been clear about one thing—a decision win won’t be enough. He knows fans expect him to stop Paul, not just outpoint him. That’s a different kind of pressure than what Paul is facing.

Paul can lose and still walk away with a massive check and the narrative that he stepped up against a real heavyweight. Joshua doesn’t have that luxury.

Analysts have Joshua as a heavy favorite, but fighters like Deontay Wilder have warned that AJ has more to lose reputationally. Wilder said Joshua could “badly damage his legacy” if he somehow loses.

Meanwhile, others like David Adeleye have argued Paul has more skills than purists give him credit for.

The fight week schedule is packed with events leading up to Friday night. The tension is building.

Is The Money Worth The Risk?

For Joshua, the calculus is straightforward. He’s getting paid handsomely to do what he’s been doing his entire career—fight. The opponent is less credentialed than most of his previous foes, but the stakes are amplified by public perception.

For Paul, this is the ultimate gamble. He’s stepping up in competition dramatically. He’s 12-1 as a professional, but his lone loss came against Tommy Fury, and his most recent win was a decision over a 58-year-old Tyson. Joshua is a former two-time unified heavyweight champion with knockout power that can end fights in an instant.

The reward? Potentially the biggest payday of Paul’s boxing career and validation that he belongs in the ring with elite competition.

Paul Vs. Joshua is The Fight of the Year, And Here’s Why

Love it or hate it, this is the biggest boxing match of the year. With all due respect to Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez, Paul-Joshua is a bigger event. Crawford-Canelo was a battle between two of the greatest fighters that have ever walked the face of the Earth.

Paul-Joshua is a fight between one of the most popular and polarizing people on the planet against an uber popular former heavyweight champion. Many want to see Paul humbled. Some wonder if there is some sort of dishonest angle. All of it rolled together makes for the most intriguing, can’t-miss fight of the year.

I’ll be covering this every day up until fight night and a bit beyond. Stay tuned for the latest updates.