Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua script, explained: Why boxing fans think 2025 Netflix fight was staged

Teddy Ricketson

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Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua script, explained: Why boxing fans think 2025 Netflix fight was staged image

Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul duked it out on Netflix on Friday night. 

Joshua filled in for Gervonta Davis, who was initially booked to take on Paul. The fight was easy to market, with Joshua having legitimate boxing experience while Paul is better known for his social media presence. 

Joshua weighed in about 30 pounds heavier than Paul, and the two would usually be in different weight classes. The fact that they were even boxing was already suspect, and many, including every single person on the pre-fight panel, thought the fight would be over before the end of the third round. 

Paul danced around the ring for a couple of rounds and continually went to his knees, almost like he was going to go for a UFC-style takedown. The fight went into the sixth round, and many lost interest in how long it was taking Joshua to win and the product being shown.

Joshua finally put Paul away in the sixth round, but that didn't stop fans from calling into question the legitimacy of the fight. 

Here is more on how the highly anticipated boxing match between Joshua and Paul ended.

MORE: How did AllSportsPeople score the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight?

Was the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight staged?

The public will likely never know for certain whether the fight between Joshua and Paul was staged. The recent trend in boxing has seen many social media stars and former boxers putting on outrageous fights, and the outcomes of some of them certainly make it look like foul play is involved. 

Paul planned to run away from Joshua and hoped to land a knockout blow. As he ran away from Joshua and repeatedly fell to his knees, many on social media not only called into question the legitimacy of the fight, but also quickly called it one of the worst in recent memory. 

Joshua said he knew he needed to take some time to wear down Paul, but once he didn't knock out his opponent in the first or second round, the internet determined the fight must be scripted. 

MORE: Which celebrities attended the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight?

How much did Anthony Joshua get paid?

The exact number hasn't been confirmed. Reports ahead of the fight suggested that Joshua and Paul would get paid $184 million, making $92 million apiece. 

How much did Jake Paul get paid?

Paul took to his Twitter account and wrote, "Stop asking me. $267 million." While he never expanded on the message, many assumed that this would mean that the total purse was actually $267 million, with each fighter presumably taking home $133 million each. 

Social media reactions to Paul-Joshua fight

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