If you’d told fight fans back in 2017 that the kid from Disney Channel would eventually share a ring with Anthony Joshua, they’d have laughed you out of the room. Yet here we are—Jake Paul versus AJ is actually happening. The road from YouTube squabbles to this Miami megafight reads like something from a movie script, connecting dots nobody saw coming.
It All Started With Some British YouTubers
Remember Joe Weller? Back in August 2017, he uploaded a boxing match with fellow YouTuber Theo Baker, straight-up admitting he’d stolen the idea from the Mayweather-McGregor hype. That video—rough around the edges but weirdly compelling—planted the seed. Then KSI beat Weller in early 2018 and immediately called out the Paul brothers. You could feel something shifting.
Meanwhile, in the actual fight world, Francis Ngannou was having a nightmare against Derrick Lewis in what might be the worst UFC main event ever. Dana White publicly slammed Ngannou for having “ego problems”—little knowing that criticism would eventually lead the Cameroonian to boxing and indirectly help create the Paul-Joshua years later.
The Problem Child Grows Up
Jake Paul’s first proper boxing match came on his brother’s undercard in August 2018. He beat Deji, but everyone treated it as a bit of fun. Then he turned pro in 2020 and started taking this seriously—knocking out NBA player Nate Robinson so cold it became a meme. When he started beating actual fighters like Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, the conversation changed from “this is a joke” to “wait, maybe this kid can fight.”
At the same time, Ngannou was proving everyone wrong in the UFC. After that awful Lewis fight, he went on a tear, eventually knocking out Stipe Miocic to become heavyweight champion. Two completely different paths were unfolding—Paul building his name in the boxing circus, Ngannou proving himself as a legitimate destroyer.
When the Worlds Collided
This is where it gets interesting. In early 2022, Ngannou did the unthinkable—he walked away from the UFC as their reigning heavyweight champion. Nobody does that. Meanwhile, Jake Paul finally lost a fight to Tommy Fury in 2023, then bounced back to beat Nate Diaz.
Then came the moment that changed everything: Ngannou’s boxing debut against Tyson Fury. The MMA star didn’t just survive—he knocked Fury down and came within a whisker of winning. Overnight, every top heavyweight wanted a piece of him. Anthony Joshua took the fight and knocked Ngannou out in 2024, but the door was now wide open for these crossover events.
Netflix Changes the Game
When Netflix announced Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson in early 2024, you could feel the landscape shifting. This wasn’t pay-per-view anymore—this was global entertainment. Paul beating a faded-but-still-Tyson proved these fights could draw ridiculous numbers.
The final pieces fell into place almost by accident. Joshua got knocked out by Daniel Dubois in late 2024 and needed a big comeback fight. Paul was supposed to fight Gervonta Davis, but when Davis got pulled over legal issues in late 2025, Netflix needed a replacement fast. Joshua was available, and suddenly, the fight nobody saw coming was announced.
How Did We Get Here?
Looking back, it’s clear this was always possible—we just didn’t see it coming. YouTube boxing kept growing, Netflix provided the platform, and both fighters found themselves at career crossroads at the same time. Paul needed a legitimate boxing name, Joshua needed a global spotlight after a loss—the timing was perfect.
What started with British YouTubers in a makeshift ring has somehow led to a former unified heavyweight champion fighting a social media star on one of the world’s biggest streaming platforms. The fight game will never be the same.
Your Questions Answered
Was this fight planned all along?
Not at all—it came together in days after the Gervonta Davis fight fell through. Sometimes the biggest fights happen by accident.
Is Joshua taking this seriously?
He might be coming off a loss, but nobody survives long in heavyweight boxing without taking every fight seriously. The man still hits like a truck.
How did YouTube boxing get this big?
It turned out people cared more about personalities and entertainment than pure boxing skill. The numbers don’t lie—these fights get millions watching.
What happens if Paul wins?
Chaos, probably. The boxing establishment would have to completely rethink everything it knows about the sport.
Would this fight have happened without Netflix?
Probably not. The streaming money and global reach made the financials work in ways traditional boxing couldn’t match.
