CROSSOVER BLOCKBUSTER: THE FULL TIMELINE OF JAKE PAUL VS ANTHONY JOSHUA DEAL
The controversial Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua heavyweight fight is happening on December 19. We break down the strange timeline, which includes leaked DMs and the collapse of the Gervonta Davis bout.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua went back and forth in 2025 before making a surprise fight deal.
Paul and Joshua are set for a controversial heavyweight fight on Friday, December 19.
The American has been working hard to get his shot at Joshua.
While many are worried about Paul's health taking on the former two-time heavyweight champ, he's staying sure of himself.
You might wonder how this fight happened, so StadiumNest is breaking down the timeline below.
How did it start?
Paul got things going by calling out Joshua on his podcast earlier this year.
He said, "I want to fight Anthony Joshua because I know I will beat Anthony Joshua's ass."
He doesn't have a chin, and he has no skill, and he is stiff.
I love you, Anthony, and we are friends. But I want to fight you.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer then shared that they had been talking behind the scenes about a possible fight.
In June, Paul leaked their private messages: It was all nice; we've been friendly.
[Joshua] DM'd me today saying LOL to one of my training clips, and then I sent him a LOL with a picture of him getting knocked out by Daniel Dubois.
So I guess we're trash-talking a bit behind the scenes. But I have a lot of love for Anthony Joshua.
I think this is funny, and he's a great guy, and I think a fight between us would be awesome, and I believe I can win.
Joshua then shared a screenshot of a phone call with 'The Problem Child,' writing '2026' with a zipped-lips emoji.
They seemed to have agreed to fight in 2026, as Paul was planning to meet Gervonta Davis in an exhibition match first.
What was stopping Paul vs. Joshua?
Paul and Joshua had some issues getting their fight done.
Turki Alalshikh's Ring Magazine said talks fell apart over the network since Joshua has a deal with DAZN.
It seemed their fight was off when Paul vs. Davis was announced, even though Joshua was in talks with the 28-year-old.
Joshua wanted to fight again, having been out of action since losing to Dubois in September 2024, so he looked for other options.
When the superstar's promoter, Eddie Hearn, was asked about his fighter's plan, he said, "I won't speak for him, but I don't think we will commit to that fight until Tank has fought him in November.
“We are not going to wait until November to make our move, so it is likely Anthony Joshua will fight in January or February against someone else.
“But Tank is Tank; who knows? They still have to make sure that the fight happens. We knew Jake would take a fight this side of the year, but it is what it is.”
As the options for the 36-year-old to fight this year got fewer, a surprise brought Paul back into the picture.
What changed?
Paul called off his fight with Davis when 'Tank' was accused of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and emotional distress.
He then released a list of potential opponents in November, with Joshua as a top target again.
While it seemed unlikely, it was reported that they were 'finalising terms' to finally fight before the new year.
The official announcement came days later, with the Kaseya Centre in Miami hosting the showdown.
Now, Paul and Joshua are lacing up their gloves to settle their beef live on Netflix this weekend.
EDDIE HEARN ADMITS AUSTIN WILLIAMS CANNOT OUTBOX WBC CHAMPION CARLOS ADAMES
Austin Ammo Williams faces a life-changing chance Saturday as Hearn plots a late-round breakdown of Carlos Adames.
Eddie Hearn isn’t trying to convince anyone that Austin “Ammo” Williams is a better boxer than Carlos Adames. He’s not pitching skill or finesse; he’s talking about grit. If Williams is going to win the WBC middleweight title on Saturday, it won’t be by outboxing Adames. Hearn’s hoping his guy drags Adames into the late rounds, toughs it out, and breaks him down physically.
Here’s the approach: Williams needs to pressure Adames, stay close, and make it ugly. A straightforward boxing match pretty much goes to Adames. So, Williams has to turn it into a dogfight.
“You just got to be a dog in there. You’ve got to hang with him, find a way, and try to combat the skill,” Hearn told DAZN Boxing. “You’ve got to try and trade with him, beat him up on the inside. You just have to not give in and find a way to break him.”
That’s the plan. Hearn figures the real shift probably happens late in the bout, maybe round nine, ten, or eleven, when toughness matters more than clean boxing or early dominance. Williams has to withstand as much punishment as he dishes out, keep pushing, and hope Adames finally breaks.
Hearn’s honesty actually tells you everything. “I don’t think Ammo is going to go in there and outbox Carlos Adames,” he said. He’s not pretending Williams is the slicker guy or has more tools. The path is straightforward: close the gap, trade shots, wear Adames down.
Still, Hearn sees a life-changing opportunity if Williams manages to pull it off. “If Ammo can become a middleweight world champion, he changes his life forever. The opportunity sits right in front of him on Saturday,” he said.
No doubt, Saturday’s a big chance. But it’s a rough road. If all you’ve got is to “find a way” through a gruelling fight, it usually means the champ has the edge when the boxing gets clean.
WHY NATE DIAZ SIGNED WITH JAKE PAUL’S MVP FOR MMA RETURN
Nate Diaz signs with Jake Paul’s MVP to face Mike Perry in an MMA return on the Rousey vs Carano Netflix card.
Nate Diaz is set to join the impressive undercard for the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano bout. The UFC veteran has recently signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and will take on Mike Perry at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on May 16.
Diaz hasn’t stepped into the MMA cage since he submitted Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 back in 2022. After that, he tried his hand at boxing, debuting in the ring a year later, where he lost a points decision to Jake Paul. However, he bounced back in his next boxing match by securing a win against Jorge Masvidal.
There had been buzz about a potential fight between Diaz and Conor McGregor for McGregor’s UFC return, but those plans seem to have fallen through. Their history is well-known; they split victories in 2016, with Diaz dealing McGregor his first UFC loss. Many fans were hoping for a trilogy match, possibly headlining the promotion’s historic White House card.
Now Diaz is gearing up to face Perry at welterweight, following unified MMA rules over five rounds. He’ll be sharing the card with notable names like Francis Ngannou, who recently parted ways with PFL and is scheduled to fight Philipe Lins in the co-main event.
Diaz expressed his excitement about the return, saying, “Glad to be back in action." It’s time. Don’t forget where this all came from. I’ve got plans to keep going for the next decade, wherever it takes me. Time to set the bar again; get ready for a new takeover, again and again.”
He’s been hinting at this comeback for months and even called out Perry as part of a three-fight target list earlier this year. Diaz has openly admitted he has unfinished business in combat sports, aiming to capture gold before he retires.
His signing with MVP raises questions among MMA fans about whether the UFC had discussions with him beforehand, similar to what we saw with Rousey. She revealed she had talks with UFC CEO Dana White before announcing her Netflix fight against Carano, though she later criticised the UFC as a shadow of its former self, saying it no longer delivers the best fights.
While Diaz is undoubtedly the bigger name, Perry brings his own intensity to the card. Known as 'Platinum', Perry had a stint in McGregor’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship after leaving the UFC in 2021. He, too, has boxed and lost to Jake Paul before making a comeback to combat sports with a win over Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 last October.
Perry isn’t holding back, stating, “The King of Violence returns to MMA to elbow his opponent in the face.” The fight is set to be streamed on Netflix, with Perry promising Diaz will go “lights out” on May 16.
Nakisa Bidarian, MVP’s CEO, commented on the event’s massive potential, highlighting their record-breaking boxing viewership and expecting to smash those records again with this MMA card. He emphasised the matchup intensity, calling Diaz “the Real BMF” and Perry “the King of Violence", promising a battle from the first press conference through to the final bell.
This event in Los Angeles looks to be one of the biggest nights in combat sports, and Netflix’s involvement signals a bright future for MMA’s growth. More bouts for the card are expected to be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates as the date approaches.
