Matchroom and MVP finalize Kaseya Center showdown after Paul’s Gervonta Davis exhibition was canceled, with 10oz gloves and three-minute rounds
Anthony Joshua will face Jake Paul on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami in a sanctioned eight-round heavyweight fight using 10oz gloves, with the event streamed globally on Netflix. The bout was jointly announced by Joshua’s promoter Matchroom and Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, finalizing a matchup that accelerated after Paul’s proposed exhibition with lightweight champion Gervonta Davis in Miami on November 14 was called off following the filing of a domestic violence lawsuit against Davis.
Format and broadcast details are set: eight three-minute rounds at heavyweight, 10-ounce gloves, and Netflix distribution, with both promoters emphasizing the crossover scale of the event. Jake Paul, 28, steps up significantly in class having compiled a 12-1 professional record, including a points win over Julio César Chávez Jr. in June and a sanctioned heavyweight bout over eight two-minute rounds against Mike Tyson last November. Paul’s team pivoted quickly after the Davis cancellation, pursuing high-profile alternatives before striking terms with Joshua and Matchroom.
Joshua, 36, a former unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight champion, has been inactive since a fifth-round stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 and subsequently underwent elbow surgery, with Eddie Hearn indicating the plan was a year-end “run-out” to regain rhythm before bigger 2026 targets. The Miami date aligns with that strategy, offering U.S. exposure on a major platform ahead of possible early-2026 assignments mooted by stakeholders across the heavyweight landscape.
Both sides framed the stakes clearly. Paul called the matchup “Judgment Day,” arguing that beating Joshua erases doubts about his résumé and positions him for a title push, while Joshua promised “no mercy,” describing the Miami return as a chance to do massive numbers and set up landmark fights. The co-promotion emphasized that Netflix will carry the card for its global subscriber base, underscoring the event’s crossover ambitions beyond traditional pay-per-view models.
Context around the cancellation is crucial. MVP confirmed the Davis exhibition was scrapped following the civil filing and noted that Netflix plans for Paul to headline in 2025 would proceed with a new opponent, with refunds issued to ticket buyers for the November 14 date. Multiple outlets tracked the shift from Davis to Joshua, with the heavyweight bout’s ruleset and Miami venue consistent across official and major media announcements.
