Tonight, the boxing world's attention turns to Miami for a contest that has divided opinion across the sporting landscape. Anthony Joshua, the former two-time heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medallist, steps into the ring to face the polarising social media star turned boxer, Jake Paul.
Clash of Eras: Champion vs Challenger
Joshua has entered this bout with a clear mission, vowing to knock Paul out and decisively end what many see as the YouTuber's audacious foray into elite boxing. For 'AJ', this fight represents a necessary step before a potential blockbuster summer showdown in London against his long-time domestic rival, Tyson Fury.
In stark contrast, Jake Paul has boldly promised to deliver the most monumental shock in the history of the sport. Despite a record built largely against former MMA fighters and a high-profile but inconclusive bout last year against the 58-year-old legend Mike Tyson, Paul genuinely believes he can dethrone a fighter of Joshua's calibre. The stage is set for a dramatic collision between established pedigree and internet-age ambition.
How to Watch Joshua vs Paul in the UK
In a landmark move for combat sports broadcasting, this entire event will be streamed globally on Netflix. For the platform's vast 300 million subscribers worldwide, there is no additional pay-per-view fee. UK fans can watch the action live on any device that supports the Netflix app, including smart TVs, games consoles, tablets, and mobile phones.
New viewers can access the fight by signing up for a Netflix subscription. Notably, Sky is currently offering its 'lowest ever price' for Sky TV, with an Essential TV bundle that includes Netflix for £15 per month.
UK Start Times and Full Fight Card
Due to the event taking place in the United States, UK fans will need to prepare for a late night. The main card is scheduled to begin at around 1am on Saturday morning. The headline bout between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul is expected to commence between 3:30am and 4:00am UK time. All timings are approximate and subject to change based on the length of the earlier fights.
The full running order for the card is as follows:
- Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua - approx. 3:30am
- Alycia Baumgardner vs Leila Beaudoin - approx. 2:30am
- Anderson Silva vs Tyron Woodley - approx. 1:45am
- Jahmal Harvey vs Kevin Cervantes - approx. 1am
- Cherneka Johnson vs Amanda Calla - approx. 12:15am
- Caroline Dubois vs Camila Panatta - approx. 11:30pm
- Yokasta Valle vs Yadira Bustillos - approx. 11pm
- Avious Griffin vs Justin Cardona - approx. 10:30pm
- Keno Marley vs Diarra Davis Jr - approx. 10pm
Fighters' Final Words
The pre-fight rhetoric has been typically fiery. Anthony Joshua acknowledged the criticism surrounding the match-up but framed it as a duty to the sport. "People don’t like the fact that I’m fighting Jake," he stated. "But if we look at the people that don’t want me to be here, but they want me to put an end to Jake Paul’s show, I understand it and that’s why I have to carry boxing on my back with this fight."
Jake Paul, never one to shy away from bold statements, issued a characteristically combative call to arms. "Let’s put on a show for the fans. Let’s go to war," he declared. "This is the modern day gladiator sport... I want his hardest punches. I want there to be no excuses when it’s all said and done."
As the hours tick down, the question remains: will Joshua's world-class power and experience prove too much, or can Jake Paul somehow turn his viral confidence into a reality that rewrites the boxing history books? The answer will be streamed live to the world tonight.
