The Business Behind Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua: How Netflix Turned a Boxing Match Into a Global Streaming Event
When Anthony Joshua stopped Jake Paul in Miami at the weekend, it was not just a sporting result — it was the latest proof that boxing’s business model is being rewritten by streaming, influencer economics and global distribution.
Behind the scenes, the bout represented one of the most ambitious commercial experiments in modern sport: a heavyweight champion and a social-media megastar brought together under a Netflix-led distribution model that dispensed with pay-per-view entirely and replaced it with global subscriber economics.
The fight was not sold to fans one purchase at a time. Instead, it was packaged as a global live entertainment product, designed to drive subscriptions, engagement and brand value for the world’s largest streaming platform.
This shift mirrors what European Business Magazine has examined in its analysis of the
streaming wars and the future of global media — where live events are becoming a critical weapon in the battle for subscriber loyalty.
Netflix replaces pay-per-view
Traditionally, a fight of this magnitude would have been sold via Sky Box Office or Showtime PPV, with fans paying £25–£30 per household. Instead, Netflix folded the bout into its global subscription offering, instantly making it available to more than 260 million households worldwide.
For Netflix, the logic was simple. A single blockbuster live event can:
drive new sign-ups
reduce churn
generate global attention
and provide premium advertising inventory
For boxing, it offered something even more valuable: instant global reach without fragmentation across broadcasters.
This distribution strategy aligns with what EBM has covered in its feature on
Netflix versus traditional broadcasters, where platforms increasingly outbid TV networks for premium live content.
Who made the deal
The fight was negotiated between two very different power centres.
On Jake Paul’s side was Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the promotion he co-founded with Nakisa Bidarian. MVP controls Paul’s brand, sponsorship inventory and digital distribution, making it far more than a typical boxing promoter.
On Anthony Joshua’s side was Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom, boxing’s most established commercial operation in Europe. Matchroom delivered credibility, regulatory structure and access to Joshua — still one of the most valuable heavyweight brands in the world.
Netflix acted as the global distributor, underwriting the economics and taking the event worldwide in one broadcast window.
This triangular structure — influencer promotion, legacy boxing, and streaming distribution — reflects what EBM has described as the new economics of sport and entertainment.
How much did they get paid?
While official contracts are confidential, industry sources suggest the total purse pool exceeded $180 million.
Anthony Joshua’s guaranteed purse is believed to have been in the region of $80–$90 million, making it one of the highest single-fight paydays of his career. Jake Paul’s earnings, combining fight purse, promotion share and sponsorship revenue, are also estimated to have exceeded $60–$80 million.
These numbers dwarf what elite heavyweights earned only a decade ago.
When Joshua fought Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in 2017, one of the biggest PPV events in British history, his total earnings were estimated at £15–£20 million after PPV upside — a fraction of what Netflix can now deliver without selling a single PPV.
How it compares to Jake Paul v Mike Tyson
Paul’s 2024 bout against Mike Tyson was a cultural phenomenon, delivering Netflix’s largest ever live sports audience.
That fight was built on curiosity and nostalgia. Paul v Joshua, by contrast, was built on sporting legitimacy — a YouTube star facing a genuine heavyweight champion.
Commercially, Tyson delivered more raw attention. Joshua delivered more boxing credibility. For Netflix, both were valuable.
The combination shows how the platform is building a live sports portfolio — rotating novelty, celebrity and elite competition to attract different demographics.
This strategy fits with what EBM has explored in
Netflix and the fight for live sports. Why consumer platforms are funding boxing
The real story here is not Paul or Joshua. It is Netflix.
The company is no longer just a content distributor. It is becoming a global events platform, using live sport to create moments that cut through social media, advertising and pop culture.
For boxing, this changes everything:
Fighters no longer depend on PPV buys
Promoters no longer need dozens of broadcast partners
A single platform can monetise the entire world
This mirrors what has happened in football, F1 and UFC — where the biggest money now comes from media rights rather than ticket sales.We tracked this evolution in its coverage of the business of global sports rights.
Will there be another one?
Commercially, both sides will want to continue. Joshua now has proof that Netflix can generate nine-figure paydays. Paul still has one of the biggest names in combat sports.
But strategically, their paths may diverge. Joshua wants legacy fights against heavyweight rivals. Paul wants events that maximise attention, not punishment.
What Netflix has proven is that boxing is no longer limited by PPV ceilings. With the right packaging, it can now operate on streaming-scale economics — turning a single fight into a global entertainment franchise.
And in 2025, that may be the most valuable belt of all.
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