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.
EGIS KLIMAS CONFIRMS MULTI-FIGHT AGREEMENT FOR OLEKSANDR USYK VS DEONTAY WILDER 2026
Oleksandr Usyk's manager, Egis Klimas, confirms a "very likely" 2026 fight against Deontay Wilder in either Las Vegas or Los Angeles.
A possible fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Deontay Wilder may happen at the following time, according to Usyk’s manager.
In 2025, Oleksandr Usyk had only one bout in the ring, where he knocked out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round of their rematch.
After that fight, there were rumours that the Ukrainian may retire from the sport because of had almost cleared out the heavyweight division.
Despite that, rumours were soon debunked, and the former undisputed heavyweight champion announced that he would be interested in facing former heavyweight title holder Deontay Wilder.
Usyk’s Manager Offers Date for Wilder Bout
It was reported a few weeks ago that Usyk had voluntarily relinquished his WBO heavyweight title. As a result, he is no longer undisputed.
Shortly after that announcement, the 38-year-old revealed he would like to fight ‘The Bronze Bomber,’ deeming him ‘one of the greatest heavyweights of the last 10 years.’
And when he was at the Night of the Samurai event last week, Usyk again was asked about his next potential opponent, and he repeated his desire to face Wilder.
On the likelihood of the fight, Usyk’s representative Egis Klimas told The National, “It’s very likely (we will see Usyk vs. Wilder). Because right now we’re working on it, and we’re working on some multi-fight agreement for Oleksandr.
“As soon as we confirm that, we’re going to jump in. And some talks are already going on with the team of Wilder. We’re looking at Las Vegas or Los Angeles, and the dates are the end of April and the beginning of May.”
The Ukrainian hasn't boxed Stateside since 2019, when he faced Chazz Witherspoon in his first heavyweight bout.
The selection of Wilder, however, is quite surprising, given his recent performance. The 40-year-old boxer is 2-3 in his last five bouts, suffering defeats at the hands of Zhilei Zhang, Joseph Parker, and Tyson Fury.
Would Usyk retire after the upcoming fight with Wilder? At the age of 38, the reality is that Usyk very likely has only a few bouts left in him at the very most. With the bulk of the heavyweight rankings already knocked out, there would be very little opposition left in the sport for Usyk, and retirement after a bout with Wilder would be expected.
32-0 AND COUNTING: IS NAOYA INOUE OFFICIALLY THE GREATEST OF THIS GENERATION?
Naoya Inoue wraps up a flawless 2025, tying Muhammad Ali’s record with four undisputed title defences in a single calendar year.
Inoue wrapped up 2025 with a flawless 4-0, defending his super-bantamweight title four times around the globe and proving he's the best in boxing. Beating Alan Picasso put him back on top of the pound-for-pound rankings, solidifying his place as the sport's biggest name.
Lots of fighters had great moments this year, but no one else showed the same level of consistent dominance, historical importance, and activity that Inoue did.
An Amazing Year of Championship Wins
Inoue finished the year with a 32-0 record (27 KOs) after wins against Ye Joon Kim, Ramon Cardenas, Murodjon Akhmadaliev, and Alan Picasso. Each fight showed his command of the division, from quick knockouts to smart, well-fought decision wins against top contenders.
People noticed his cool demeanour, accuracy, and how he changes his strategy during fights, proving why he's considered the best.
Looking back at 2025, Inoue said, I wasn't sure about it myself, but I'll do my best to meet your expectations. To everyone who came to Riyadh and cheered us on, thanks a lot for your support.
We had so much support this year. Thanks! Happy New Year!
By successfully defending all four major belts four times this year, Inoue is the only male undisputed world champ left in boxing. He stayed active without injuries or performance drops, which set him apart from everyone else with a title.
While others picked and chose their fights, Inoue was always ready to put his title on the line.
Historical Wins and Worldwide Success
Besides being undefeated, Inoue's 2025 was historically awesome. He tied Muhammad Ali's record by defending the undisputed title four times in a single year.
Inoue also set a new record for the most consecutive world title fight wins, beating records held by Floyd Mayweather and Joe Louis.
His consistency across different countries was just as impressive. Inoue had amazing performances in Japan, the US, and Saudi Arabia, proving he's not just a local star but the most complete global champ in the sport.
This year, Inoue was the best in every category.
While other fighters had strong arguments, no one maintained undisputed control while building their legacy like Inoue did this year.
Inoue's multiple title defences made him the obvious choice.
A Familiar Honour, Earned Again
This is Inoue's second time winning WBN Fighter of the Year, after his undisputed wins in two divisions in 2023.
Winning again shows how great he is at the highest level of boxing. Very few fighters today have combined dominance with constant activity while adding to their legacy.
What's Next?
As 2025 ends, Inoue is not just boxing’s top champ, but the standard for sustained dominance. His wins have him moving from talking about what he could do to what his legacy will be. Future performances will be compared to what he’s already done.
The win over Picasso and return to number one P4P just shows he's unmatched.