When news broke that Anthony Joshua—one of the most decorated heavyweights of his era—would step into the ring with Jake Paul, boxing fans had one reaction: How did we get here?
According to veteran analyst Steve Bunce, who spoke to the BBC, the answer isn’t mystery, strategy, or legacy. It’s money—a lot of it.
Joshua, 36, is set to fight Paul on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami in an eight-round bout using standard 10-ounce gloves. While the matchup looks like a mismatch on paper—Joshua is a former unified heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, while Paul made his name on YouTube—Bunce told the Beeb that the financial offer behind the scenes was too big for Joshua to decline.
The outlet estimates the purse at roughly £36.9 million, or about $50 million.
Bunce pointed to Paul’s recent track record to explain why Joshua said yes. Last year, Paul’s fight with Mike Tyson drew enormous global viewership, with hundreds of millions tuning in across platforms. “That’s why this fight is happening,” Bunce explained. “Joshua got an offer he couldn’t refuse.”
The weight and size difference only adds to fans’ skepticism. Joshua has hovered over 250 pounds in his last three bouts, but is required to come in under 245 for this one.
Paul, meanwhile, competes around cruiserweight and gives up several inches in height. Bunce acknowledged all of that, noting that Joshua will enter the ring with significant physical advantages.
Jake Paul’s camp, however, insists the matchup is legitimate. Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions and Paul’s manager, told BBC Sport that he sees no safety concern. “Jake’s in a better position than people think,” he said, arguing that Joshua’s size could also work against him. “AJ is big, strong, but slower. He’s more vulnerable to Jake’s movement.”
Others strongly disagree. Former British middleweight Nick Blackwell—who retired after suffering a severe brain injury—called the fight “so dangerous” and predicted Joshua would “be able to do what he wants.” Even so, Blackwell admitted that massive audiences will tune in simply because of the spectacle.
Bunce also highlighted Joshua’s ongoing discussions about a potential fight with Tyson Fury, saying the Paul bout is likely one of the last big paydays of Joshua’s career.
He added that boxing has a long history of unusual matchups, referencing past crossover fights and even joking about heavyweight Chuck Wepner’s infamous exhibition against a bear.