TLDR
- Jake Paul will fight Anthony Joshua on December 19 at Kaseya Center in Miami on Netflix
- Terence Crawford reportedly accepted an offer to fight Paul, according to MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian
- Paul had approximately 30 fighters agree to face him after the Gervonta Davis fight fell through
- Bidarian believes Joshua is a more winnable fight for Paul than Davis would have been
- Boxing insider Rick Glaser claims Crawford never accepted the fight offer
Jake Paul will face Anthony Joshua on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The fight will stream live on Netflix.
The matchup came together after Paul’s planned exhibition with Gervonta Davis fell apart. Davis faced legal issues that ended those negotiations.
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, revealed that around 30 fighters accepted offers to fight Paul. The shortlist included Ryan Garcia, Terence Crawford, and Anthony Joshua.
According to Bidarian, Crawford accepted the fight offer. He confirmed this claim when asked directly by TMZ Sports.
Terence Crawford agreed to the Jake Paul fight but they went with Anthony Joshua 👀
“There were probably 30 fighters who accepted. AJ being one of them, Terence Crawford being another. AJ is the one that we came to an agreement on. Crawford was 100% in.”
(via @MostVpromotions) pic.twitter.com/K5avIHGWCW
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 18, 2025
However, boxing insider Rick Glaser disputes this version of events. Glaser stated on social media that Crawford “smartly turned it down” and called the claim “unequivocally not true.”
Paul ultimately chose Joshua for the December bout. The British fighter stands 6’6″ and weighs around 251 pounds compared to Paul’s 6’1″ frame at approximately 225 pounds.
Joshua brings 32 professional fights to the ring. Paul has competed in 13 bouts with a 12-1 record.
The former two-time unified heavyweight champion has 25 knockouts in 28 career wins. He knocked out Francis Ngannou in his most recent fight last year.
Why Paul Chose Joshua
Bidarian explained his reasoning for viewing Joshua as a better opponent than Davis. He described Davis as quick, fast, precise, and highly skilled with knockout power.
“AJ is big, strong, and has knockout power, but he’s definitely slower than Tank,” Bidarian said. “He’s definitely less skilled than Tank.”
The MVP co-founder believes the matchup gives Paul a chance to display better boxing skills. He views it as more favorable despite Joshua’s size and experience advantages.
Paul has been training for the fight. Bidarian mentioned that his team has a good relationship with Oleksandr Usyk and his coaching staff.
Usyk defeated Joshua twice in their previous matchups. Joshua recently trained with Usyk’s coaches about two weeks before the announcement.
Yes, it’s real.
JAKE PAUL vs. ANTHONY JOSHUA. A career-defining pro heavyweight fight. LIVE only on Netflix Friday, December 19. #JakeJoshua pic.twitter.com/zG4RSqsTxU
— Netflix (@netflix) November 17, 2025
Crawford’s Role Unclear
The conflicting reports about Crawford’s involvement remain unresolved. Bidarian stands by his claim that Crawford accepted the fight offer.
Glaser maintains his position that Crawford rejected the opportunity. He wrote that Crawford “doesn’t need any clown shows” and “isn’t desperate.”
Crawford himself has not publicly commented on whether he accepted or declined the offer. Unless he addresses the situation directly, the truth remains unclear.
The fight between Paul and Joshua will take place on December 19 at Kaseya Center in Miami, streaming on Netflix.
