Anthony Joshua has revealed why he agreed to fight YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a highly talked-about £140 million bout scheduled for December 19 in Miami.

The eight-round professional contest, which will be streamed live on Netflix, features a staggering £140 million prize purse, split evenly between Anthony Joshua and the 28-year-old American. The fight will take place at the 19,600-capacity Kaseya Centre, home of the NBA’s Miami Heat.

Joshua has not fought since his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September 2024 during their IBF heavyweight title clash.

His decision to accept Paul’s challenge and the accompanying £70m payout has sparked debate about the impact on his legacy and the perceived mismatch between the fighters.

Speaking at a press conference in Miami, Joshua detailed why he took the fight.

“Thank you for having me,” he began.

“You’ve got to give credit to Jake and his team. They reached out to me, to be fair. It was a great opportunity for me, an opportunity to fight. I wanted to take 12 months out of the game after Dubois. I’ve done that, and it was time to get back to work.

“I was planning on fighting anyway. I would’ve fought this weekend if I had my way. And when this opportunity presented itself, I thought, ‘Yeah, why not?’”

Joshua said he is excited by the global attention the event is drawing.

“It’s massive, colossal; it’s making big news. We’re bringing marketability together with ability. Those two worlds collide,” he said. “We’re here in Miami, bringing Europe, Africa, Asia, Nigeria…the whole world together to watch this show on Netflix. It’s going to be phenomenal.” (BusinessDay)