Anthony Joshua is expected to surrender a substantial share of his earnings following his knockout victory over Jake Paul in their much-talked-about heavyweight bout in Miami.
The British star floored and finished Paul in the sixth round of their fight at the Kaseya Center on Friday night. While the ending was decisive, the 36-year-old later admitted that his showing against the YouTuber-turned-boxer was not without its shortcomings.
Speaking with talkSPORT after the contest, Joshua said he understood why some critics questioned why the fight lasted six rounds. “I deserve it,” he said when asked about the backlash. “Because we are elite fighters, if I put myself in the shoes of a coach, if my fighter did six rounds with Jake Paul, I would get him back in the gym tomorrow, give him a bit of a beating and get straight back to work. I’d be like, ‘How are you letting this kid take you six rounds? Are you crazy?’”
He added that while the result could not be changed, he still gave Paul credit for his effort. “But I can’t go back in time, but credit to him, he done well. I told him what would happen but it just took six rounds to do it.”
Joshua and Paul are believed to have split a prize fund estimated at around £137 million, with each man earning close to £68.5 million from the Netflix-streamed event. Referee Christopher Young waved off the fight at 1:31 of the sixth round, after both fighters had spent a combined 989 seconds in the ring. For Joshua, that translates to roughly £69,000 per second or about £4.1 million per minute.
Despite the staggering figures, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion will not receive the full amount. As a UK resident competing in the United States, Joshua is required to pay taxes in both jurisdictions.
Data cited by AceOdds suggests that around 37 per cent of his purse, approximately £25.6 million, will go to the US Internal Revenue Service. Although Florida does not impose a state income tax, the fact that the contest was staged on American soil means Joshua is liable for US federal income tax at the top rate.
On top of that, he is expected to meet his UK tax obligations, including an estimated £5.5 million owed to HMRC and about £1.4 million in National Insurance contributions. Altogether, Joshua’s tax bill is projected to be close to £32 million.
Even with such eye-watering deductions, Joshua insists financial gain was not the driving force behind taking the fight. “It’s not even my biggest payday; it’s not about money,” he said. “For me, it was more about the opportunity. I had to showcase my skills to the world.”
What you should know
Anthony Joshua’s bout with Jake Paul was one of the most lucrative crossover boxing events in recent years, driven largely by global streaming audiences.
While the fight generated massive revenue, it also highlights how international athletes competing in the United States can face significant tax liabilities across multiple jurisdictions.
Joshua’s comments also underline his desire to be judged by elite boxing standards, even in exhibition-style or crossover contests that attract huge commercial attention.
