Anthony Joshua Faces £32 Million Tax Bill After Stopping Jake Paul in Miami

Anthony Joshua Faces £32 Million Tax Bill After Stopping Jake Paul in Miami

British boxer Anthony Joshua will part with a substantial portion of his earnings after stopping Jake Paul in their heavyweight clash at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday night.

Joshua knocked Paul down and out in the sixth round, but admitted to talkSPORT that his performance was not flawless. Reflecting on the bout, the 36-year-old said he expected criticism for allowing the fight to go six rounds.

“I deserve it,” Joshua said. “If I were a coach and my fighter went six rounds with Jake Paul, I’d get him back in the gym immediately. But credit to him, he did well. I told him what would happen; it just took six rounds.”

READ ALSO:

• Nollywood Actress Doris Ogala Released from Police Custody Amid Chris Okafor Controversy
• Super Eagles Receive National Honours, Houses, Land Grants from President Tinubu
• FG Spends Over ₦150bn on 788,000 Students Through NELFUND — Information Minister

The fight reportedly generated a prize pot of around £137 million, with each fighter earning approximately £68.5 million from the Netflix-broadcast bout. Referee Christopher Young stopped the contest at 1:31 of the sixth round, after a total of 989 seconds in the ring—equating to roughly £69,000 per second or £4.1 million per minute for Joshua.

However, the Watford-born former two-time unified heavyweight champion will not take home the full amount. As a UK resident fighting in the US, Joshua is liable for taxes in both countries.

According to AceOdds, about 37% of his purse—roughly £25.6 million—will go to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). While Florida has no state income tax, federal tax obligations apply. Joshua must also settle UK tax obligations, estimated at £5.5 million, alongside £1.4 million in National Insurance contributions, bringing his total tax bill to around £32 million.

Despite the staggering sum, Joshua emphasized that money was not his primary motivation. “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.”

Anthony Joshua Faces £32 Million Tax Bill After Stopping Jake Paul in Miami