Anthony Joshua looks set to lose almost half of the huge payout he received for his fight against Jake Paul.

The British heavyweight reportedly earned around £70 million for the bout, but may actually keep closer to £35 million.

The 36-year-old dispatched the YouTuber-turned-boxer in the sixth round, landing a knockout blow. There has been some strong backlash to the fight, as Joshua was expected to dominate Paul a lot more than he actually did.

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While the former two-time heavyweight champion earned his victory, a lot of fans still see the event as a joke that cannot be taken seriously. Both men’s pockets would strongly disagree with that assessment, as they both bagged huge paydays in Miami.

Anthony Joshua’s Pockets to Be Hit After Netflix Blockbuster

AJ may have won the Netflix-broadcast bout, but the Brit is expected to be hit harder than his American opponent. While reported purses for both men have varied slightly, the common number reported to have been split between them was $184m.

That would work out at roughly £70 million per fighter, but Joshua won’t see all of that money. Instead, he’s going to be hit by both British and American tax laws. Per a press release from AceOdds, the Englishman could lose up to £33 million in US Federal Tax, payments to HMRC and National Insurance contributions in the UK.

Data experts worked out the exact breakdown of how much he will have to hand over in tax, as the press release stated: “Assuming the £70m figure is accurate, Joshua would be lumbered with a total tax bill of £31,386,203 on his earnings from the fight.”

In short, £25,867,333 of the money would be his US tax contribution, while a further £5,618,870 and £1,401,257 would go to HMRC and national insurance payments, respectively. That would leave him with just 53% of the reported £70 million. That’s still a handsome sum of cash.

Anthony Joshua Full of ‘Respect’ For Hospital-Bound Jake Paul

Despite sending his opponent to the hospital with a severely broken jaw, Joshua was quick to send praise Paul’s way after the fight. He stated:

“It wasn’t the best performance. The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That has been the request leading up, and that’s what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination.

Anthony Joshua admits he ‘deserves’ criticism for taking so long to knock out Jake Paul

Anthony Joshua has been left frustrated he wasn’t able to end his fight with Jake Paul sooner.

The experienced British heavyweight was an overwhelming favourite to get the job done against influencer-boxer Paul in their surprise showdown.

READ: Jake Paul Addresses ‘Rigged’ Claims by Posting Video After Anthony Joshua Fight

And Paul came out with a game plan to stop Joshua landing his killer shot with some bizarre and scrappy tactics, although it saw him dropped four times.

In the sixth round, AJ finally landed that clean blow, a thumping right hand, which left Paul in a heap on the canvas.

But many had expected a stoppage in the opening stages, as had Joshua, who was hoping to give himself an early night.

When asked by talkSPORT if he felt criticism of his display was justified, Joshua replied: “I deserve it.

“Because we are elite fighters, if I put myself in the shoes of a coach, if my fighter did six rounds with Jake Paul…

“I would get him back in the gym tomorrow, give him a bit of a beating and get straight back to work.

“I’d be like ‘how are you letting this kid take you six rounds, are you crazy?’.

“But I can’t go back in time, but credit to him, he done well. I told him what would happen but it just took six rounds to do it.”

Joshua’s plans for 2026 and Tyson Fury message

Joshua is now expected to move into next year with a full focus on a final assault on the heavyweight division.

It has been agreed with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh that he will first fight in February.

And it is expected that will then lead to an inevitable showdown with long-term rival Tyson Fury in the summer next year.

It is a highly anticipated clash and a big year for the former two-time champion, who is willing to waste no time to pursue the ‘Gypsy King’.

He continued to talkSPORT: “Yeah I think what happens is, is that your peak fitness leaves you after 14 days.

“So I will have 7-10 days doing some recovery and then I am going to get straight back to where we left off.

“I’m not going to disrespect Fury, but I deserve the fight, the fans deserve it.

“It’s such a shame, the guy needs to grow a backbone, you win some and you lose some.

“I definitely beat him, 100 per cent.”

Eddie Hearn’s verdict

Joshua’s promoter Hearn was less focused on the performance, and was keen to brush away any criticism.

He believes ultimately it was a good night’s work with a big 2026 now in the rear view mirror.

He added to talkSPORT: “It was a frustrating two or three rounds. Jake was moving around, I was impressed with his toughness.

“We got six good rounds in the end, I think it was a positive to be honest.

“It could have been done in seconds, but he’s done an eight-week camp and now has something to work on for 2026.”

A battered and bruised Jake Paul has responded to suggestions that his fight against Anthony Joshua was “rigged” by posting a clip of himself getting punched with a huge right hand that Paul says broke his jaw.

Joshua stopped Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight contest, knocking down the YouTuber on three occasions before putting him away with a vicious right hand at the 1:31 mark of round six.

The American, who now holds a professional record of 12-2 with seven knockouts, spent much of the fight in survival mode.

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But to his credit, he fought valiantly and landed a handful of punches on the former heavyweight champion. “He’s done really well tonight… I want to give him his props,” said Joshua as he addressed Paul’s performance in the ring.

He added: “It takes a real man to do that. Anyone who laces up these gloves, you give them respect.”

Paul looked worse for wear in the aftermath of Friday’s fight. In fact, MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian provided an update on the American’s condition at the post-fight press conference and suggested he was en route to the hospital.

“We think he broke his jaw,” said Bidarian. “He’s fine. We met with Netflix afterwards. He took a shower. He drove himself to the hospital. A broken jaw is common in sports, particularly in boxing or MMA, and I think the recovery time is four to six weeks.”

Shortly after Bidarian’s update, Paul posted a video of himself getting punched in the face by Joshua. Taking to Instagram, he sent a clear message to the doubters, captioning the clip “RIGGED?”

Paul could be seen spitting blood from his mouth after the TKO defeat. He also posted several pictures of his injuries, as seen below.

“That was crazy…. I had a blast,” Paul said in his post-fight interview. “I’m blessed by God to put on a performance like this. Anthony is a great fighter, I got my arse beat. But I’ll come back and keep winning.

“I’ve already won in every single way in life, my family, my jaw is broken by the way, it’s definitely broke, nice little arse whooping from one of the best to ever do it. Honestly, I’m not surprised, I just got tired, so much handling his weight, I think with better cardio, I could’ve kept fighting. I did my personal best.”

Paul added: “Oh, for sure, we’ll heel the broken jaw, go back, fight people my own weight and go for the cruiserweight world title.”

Prior to Friday’s event in Miami, a number of high-profile names questioned the legitimacy of the contest, including former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, who claimed it was ‘scripted’ because of the weight difference.

“You know, for me, in my opinion, I think it’s scripted a little bit because of the weight difference and Joshua’s a former champion and also he’s current, he’s active. This is going to be the first time that we see Paul fighting an active fighter,” he told Fight Hub TV.

“We’ve seen the Mike Tyson, that was all fun, that was cute… it’s fun and games But now you’re dealing with a real professional. We’ll see how it ends up.”

He added: “I think it’s scripted. At the end of the day, I just want everybody to have fun. I want them to enjoy themselves because we risk our lives for others’ entertainment.”

Paul has been accused of fixing his fights, but there is no evidence to back up such claims.

Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in their heavyweight boxing bout on Friday night, but not before both men were savaged by the referee for the lack of action in the fight.

As is standard practice, Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua have been suspended from boxing after the pair went head-to-head at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

YouTube personality Paul, who boasted a 12-1 record with seven knockouts coming into the eight-round contest, squared off against former heavyweight champion Joshua on Friday night in one of the most highly anticipated fights in recent times.

“The Problem Child” was scheduled to face Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis in an exhibition on November 14 but the fight was cancelled after allegations of abuse were made against the former three-division world champion.

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Paul was supremely confident coming into the fight with Joshua. “I don’t think he can knock me out because he’s not going to be able to line up his shots properly to land the hard punch,” he said on The Pat McAfee Show.

He added: “I think it’s going to be a very tough fight for multiple rounds, but then, when I figure out his pacing, his style, his speed, his footwork, he’s going to get a little bit tired trying to chase me around, and then I’m going to set up the shot.”

Paul claimed he would stop Joshua in the fifth or sixth round but the latter secured victory with a sixth-round knockout.

Regardless of how the fight played out, both men were always going to be hit with a suspension from boxing.

The Florida Athletic Commission sanctions professional boxing matches in Florida but carries rules from the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports.

Therefore, both Paul and Joshua will be assessed by a physician and required to enter a mandatory seven-day resting period upon conclusion of the fight, with day one beginning on the first day after Friday’s heavyweight bout.

When he was knocked out by Paul in Florida in 2024, former MMA fighter Mike Perry was handed a 60-day medical suspension by the commission.

A technical knockout typically results in an automatic 30-day suspension, preventing a fighter from any type of boxing activity for that period.

After Paul beat Mike Tyson in a bout that went the distance in November 2024, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations demanded that both fighters be suspended for 24 days – three days for every round they fought.

The regulations are enforced to prioritise the health of fighters and ensure they are given adequate time to recover.

The much-anticipated fight between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul delivered excitement at the Kaseya Center in Miami on December 19, 2025. Joshua, two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, faced Paul, the YouTube sensation turned professional boxer, in a bout streamed on Netflix.

Round-by-Round Highlights

Round 1: Paul moved cautiously, staying at distance and trying to land body shots. Joshua’s jabs and counters kept him in control. The opening round saw minimal action but set the tone for Joshua’s strategy.

Round 2: Joshua’s precision became evident as he landed clean jabs and a left hook, wobbing Paul. Clinches occurred, but Joshua’s timing dominated the exchanges.

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Round 3: Paul attempted aggressive in-fighting and clinching, but Joshua’s counters and combinations kept him ahead. Paul’s mobility helped him survive the round, though he struggled to land significant shots.

Round 4: Both fighters exchanged punches in the center, with Joshua landing effective jabs and uppercuts. Paul’s occasional clinches and rolls slowed momentum, but Joshua’s clean strikes kept him in control.

Round 5: Joshua opened up with powerful combinations to the body and head. Paul took a knee multiple times to recover, and a controversial knockdown was called. Joshua continued to pressure and dominate exchanges.

Round 6: Joshua’s precision and power overwhelmed Paul. After multiple knockdowns and relentless attacks, the referee stopped the fight at 1:31, declaring Anthony Joshua the winner via KO.

Joshua’s victory showcased his experience, timing, and power, ending Paul’s six-fight winning streak and reinforcing his heavyweight dominance.

Official Result: Anthony Joshua def. Jake Paul via KO (Round 6, 1:31)

Watch the highlights below:

Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua had some much hype coming into their Netflix boxing fight Friday night in Miami, Florida.

However, fans in attendance and around the world were highly disappointed with the showing when the two heavyweight stars stepped into the ring.

Anthony Joshua came away with a sixth-round knockout of Paul, which was certainly longer than the Englishman wanted the fight to go. Prior to stepping into the ring, Joshua maintained that anything other than a first-round win would be a disappointment.

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Jake Paul was seen dancing around the ring for most of the night despite landing a few quality jabs. His showmanship and dodging ability largely contributed to the YouTube star lasting as long as he did.

Joshua was quick to thank the crowd after the fight before stating that his goal was to “hurt Jake Paul.” The two-time heavyweight champion stayed gracious with his victory and called out Tyson Fury after the victory.

For the first time in the ring in over 15 months, Anthony Joshua bounced back from his shocking loss to Daniel Dubois. The fight marked the second time Joshua has competed on American soil after previously losing to Andy Ruiz years ago.

Meanwhile, Paul picks up his second professional loss after previously losing to Tommy Fury. The younger Paul brother surprised fans by being gracious in defeat, however, he did state he will be a champion in the future.

Jake Paul talked a big game before his bout with Anthony Joshua on Friday, but his controversial approach left fans frustrated and even the announcing team angry at times.

Paul lost on a sixth-round knockout, but not before fans grew upset at several falls that Paul took in what some saw as an attempt to extend the match. The former YouTube star turned boxer came into the fight as a big underdog and was able to make it six rounds against the former Olympic champion, but not before sparking some major backlash among fans.

READ: Eddie Hearn Confirms Another Major Rule Change for Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul

Jake Paul Called Out for ‘Putrid’ Approach

Paul’s approach sparked a big backlash, with many fans taking to social media to mock his several falls.

Announcers for the Netflix bout called out Paul for his “putrid” approach, throwing fewer than 10 punches in several rounds. Paul fell to the canvas several times while grappling with Anthony in the fourth round, including one time when he appeared to take a knee to the groin and took several moments to return to the bout.

Paul took two falls in the fifth round, withstanding a flurry of punches just before the bell to end the round. He went down again early in the sixth round, then again with 1:33 remaining when the fight was stopped.

Paul had plenty of confidence before the bout, saying in a pre-fight press conference that he believed he was a better fighter than the Olympic gold medalist.

“On paper, the cards are stacked against me but really, in terms of boxing, I’m a better boxer than AJ which is like a hilarious thing to say but he’s got two left feet, he’s stiff,” Paul told reporters, via Bloody Elbow.

The former social media star turned boxer went on to mock Joshua, bringing his typical theatrics to the press conference.

“If I was his coach I would put him in a dance class first, before trying to box,” Paul said. “And really, just bringing in the right sparring partners to help me prepare so that I can get looks that are similar to him and that’s really just been the strategy but I’m gonna go in there and display all my skills.”

Paul told ESPN that he believed he would pull off the upset.

“I’ve studied David and Goliath going into this fight,” Paul said. “There’s a split-second moment where Goliath draws back his arrow, and that’s when David can hit him. I believe the same thing will happen here. There’s going to be a moment when Joshua is exposed, and I know I have the power to be able to beat him.”

Sanctioned Fight Sparked Controversy

Even before Paul and Anthony stepped into the ring on Friday, their fight was generating controversy. ESPN’s Mark Kriegel wrote that it was a “disgrace” that the Florida State Athletic Commission sanctioned the fight despite the massive disparities in size and experience between the fighters.

He suggested that it would have never been sanctioned had Paul been a “lesser-known 12-1 cruiserweight and not a promoter.”

“I’m not a prude here. Nor a hater,” Kriegel wrote. “I don’t expect anyone to get seriously hurt, especially not when the promoter and fighter are one and the same. My bet’s on a muffled affair in the name of commerce. But there’s still that terrible chance, and now (thank you, Florida), a terrible precedent.”