British heavyweight boxing star Anthony Joshua is facing a colossal tax bill estimated at £32 million following his lucrative victory over YouTube sensation Jake Paul in Miami.
Joshua Secures Victory But Eyes Improvement
The two-time unified world champion stopped Paul in the sixth round of their headline clash at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday evening. Despite the emphatic knockout win, the 36-year-old from Watford offered a frank self-assessment of his performance against the social media star-turned-boxer.
In an interview with talkSPORT, Joshua admitted he expected criticism for letting the fight go six rounds. "I deserve it," he stated. "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... I'd be like, 'How are you letting this kid take you six rounds? Are you crazy?'"
He did, however, credit Paul's resilience, adding: "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."
A Multi-Million Pound Payday Per Second
The financial rewards for the Netflix-streamed event were staggering. Reports indicate the total prize purse was around £137 million, split equally between the two fighters. This gave Joshua a share of £68.5 million.
With the referee stopping the contest at 1:31 of the sixth round, the bout lasted a combined 989 seconds. This astonishing payday means Joshua earned approximately £69,000 per second or £4.1 million for every minute he was in the ring.
Where The £68.5 Million Purse Really Goes
Despite the huge gross sum, Joshua will not pocket the full amount. As a UK resident fighting on American soil, he is liable for significant tax deductions on both sides of the Atlantic.
According to analysis from AceOdds, the breakdown of his £32 million tax bill is as follows:
- £25.6 million (37% of his purse) is owed to the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at the highest income tax rate.
- He must then pay £5.5 million to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in the UK, covering the difference between his total UK tax liability and what was already paid in the US.
- A further £1.4 million is due for UK National Insurance contributions.
Joshua has previously downplayed the financial motivation for the fight, insisting: "It's not even my biggest payday; it's not about money. For me, it was more about the opportunity. I had to showcase my skills to the world."
Nevertheless, the event has highlighted the enormous financial stakes and subsequent tax implications for elite athletes competing in global blockbuster fights.
