Celebrity pugilist Jake Paul is boxing former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on Dec. 19 in Miami, a Netflix-streamed fight card that could transform the career of “El Gallo.”
Or end it entirely.
Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) has very little to lose (aside from his life) against such an accomplished boxer and Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) shoulders most of the risk. Anything other than complete domination could be seen as a detriment to his legacy, particularly in the wake of this high-profile loss.
That would suggest “AJ” is banking the highest purse of his career.
“Unfortunately, it’s not,“ Joshua told TMZ.
Official payouts have not been disclosed but Joshua made north of $50 million for his destruction of former UFC champion Francis Ngannou and banked a staggering $75 million in a losing effort against Oleksandr Usyk. His Paul fight has been rumored to be worth anywhere from $165 million to $267 million.
Either way, it’s a “money grab” for Joshua — and a whole lot more.
“It’s everything,“ Joshua said on MVP Face 2 Face. “I’m not a YouTuber or a social media expert. I’m a fighter first and foremost, but I understood how to navigate my way through this industry. From day one, I knew how to make money. Before I came into boxing, I knew how to make money. So it’s always been a money grab, 100 percent. And I think now, this generation, are really showing, you have to have your P’s and Q’s in order, get your money, and also, work hard, and leave the game with your brains and your money intact. I think that’s important. So it’s a money grab, it’s legacy, it’s a fight, it’s war. That’s what we’re going to war for, is to get the goods.”
Paul reportedly earned $40 million for last year’s tepid decision win over Mike Tyson.
