The full fight-week itinerary for the highly anticipated and lucrative showdown between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua has been officially released. The schedule, confirmed by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and Netflix, outlines a series of public events and reveals several new additions to the undercard ahead of the blockbuster £140 million clash on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
New Additions to the Main Card and Undercard
Promoters have bolstered the event's credibility by adding US Olympian Jahmal Harvey to the main card. Harvey, a ten-time US amateur national champion who won gold at the 2021 Elite World Championships, has only one professional victory to his name, a win over Marcelo Del Aguila. The Maryland native, who boxed at the Paris Olympics before turning pro this year, will face the undefeated Kevin Cervantes in a six-round super-featherweight contest intended to open the main broadcast. Cervantes, a 25-year-old prospect who grew up in Los Angeles by way of Colombia, has won all five of his professional bouts by knockout. This pairing was originally slated for November but was postponed.
The fight-week activities will kick off on Tuesday, December 16 at the Fontainebleau's LIV nightclub. Here, fighters will participate in open workouts alongside three officially sanctioned bouts approved by the Florida Athletic Commission. These preliminary fights will be streamed online and feature Brazilian lightweight Luan Medeiros against Mexico's Hugo Macias, former WBA bantamweight champion Shannon Courtenay against Jessica Radtke Maltez, and American prospect Jocelyn Camarillo against Yazmin Martinez Jimenez.
Focus on Anthony Joshua's Preparation
The final press conference is scheduled for Wednesday at the Fillmore Miami Beach, followed by the public weigh-in on Thursday. Inevitably, significant attention will be on Anthony Joshua, who has not fought since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois over a year ago. The contracted cruiserweight limit for the eight-round professional bout requires AJ to weigh no more than 245lbs.
Reports suggested the 6ft 6in former unified world heavyweight champion was close to 265lbs when he agreed to the fight, indicating a substantial weight cut. However, Joshua has since taken to social media to dismiss concerns, sharing footage of himself stepping onto scales at 244.7lbs. His training camp has also generated headlines, as he is working with members of Oleksandr Usyk's team, who oversaw his two defeats to the Ukrainian in 2021 and 2022.
A Highly Disputed Main Event
The main event itself remains one of the most debated match-ups in recent boxing history, pitting a former heavyweight champion against a YouTuber-turned-boxer. Jake Paul, who stands 6ft 2in and previously lost to Tommy Fury, has been repeatedly warned about the dangers of facing an opponent of Joshua's size and power. AJ's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has stated that both he and Joshua may have to retire if Joshua fails to 'obliterate' Paul, adding that the American risks being 'seriously hurt'.
Despite the criticism and predictions of a mismatch, the financial stakes are enormous, with the pair set to split the £140 million purse evenly. The event at the Kaseya Center will begin with preliminary fights in the afternoon before the main card airs on Netflix in the evening. Alongside Harvey's bout, the show will feature a mix of rematches, prospects, and returning champions, as promoters aim to add sporting legitimacy to an event largely driven by Paul's considerable commercial appeal. Whether the fight proves competitive or confirms the fears of many will finally be revealed on December 19 in Miami.
