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Hearn defends Joshua – Jake Paul in a real heavyweight fight

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Image: Hearn Justifies Joshua–Jake Paul Payday, Calling December 19 Clash a “Real Heavyweight Fight” as Critics Blast AJ’s Money-First Move

Promoter Eddie Hearn has explained why Anthony Joshua chose to fight Jake Paul next month on December 19, claiming it was a financial slam dunk. He let fans know it was coming “real heavyweight fight” eight rounds, not an exhibition. The two will headline the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on Netflix.

Why Jake Paul replaced the tuning

Hearn claims former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua (28-4, 25 KO) was going to run away anyway, but Jake Paul replaced them for money they “couldn’t refuse.”

One gets the impression that this is a pre-emptive move on his part, intended to soften the harsh reaction of fans. Hearn doesn’t need to explain why AJ is taking this fight. The money dwarfs what Joshua could get for fighting anyone else.

Ruiz-level payout revealed

Hearn has already mentioned that he will earn similar money for this fight as he earned in his rematch with Andy Ruiz on December 7, 2019. He made $80 million or more from that fight. It makes sense why Joshua should fight Jake.

“A lot of people are very excited that Anthony Joshua has almost driven Jake Paul out of the boxing world,” promoter Eddie Hearn told Boxing in the match roomtalking about the December 19 fight between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul.

What happens if AJ falls asleep?

Hearn needs to consider the potential of Jake Paul knocking out Joshua because that is something that could happen. Joshua has never had so much impact resistance in his career. Now, after twelve years as a professional, he is delicate. Jake hits harder than challenging enough to do what Ruiz and Dubois did.

This isn’t a situation where Joshua can just come in and win. Unlike Francis Ngannou, Jake Paul can fight and has the potential to knock out Joshua. The knockout AJ suffered last year against Dubois will not do him any favors in terms of easing Paul’s punishment.

“You have to admire Jake Paul’s heart. He has faced criticism about the standard of his opponent,” Hearn said. “Now he’s entering a whole up-to-date stratosphere. They made us an offer that was huge financially. We were planning a potentially miniature eight-round fight this year. Now he’s taking on Jake Paul in an eight-round fight for more money than we could have imagined.”

Jake Paul is an opponent Joshua has no choice but to take seriously. He has power and does exactly what Daniel Dubois did in AJ’s last fight on September 21, 2024, knocking him out if he can land it correctly. At some point it will land. The only question is whether 36-year-old Joshua’s chin will hold up?

“So, as you heard from Turki Alalshikh, the sedate stuff starts in 2026. But at the same time, it was an offer you couldn’t refuse. It’s a huge event. As AJ said in his press release: “No mercy.” This is not an exhibition. This is truly a heavyweight fight,” Hearn said.

If Jake knocks out Joshua, it will be intriguing to see what direction Hearn goes. After a few excuses about what happened, will he push AJ in a different direction or will he push for a rematch? It will be fun to listen to Hearn try to explain his defeat.

Last update: 20/11/2025

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Canelo responds to David Benavidez by offering him a featherlight heavyweight title fight

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Canelo responds to David Benavidez offering him title fight at light heavyweight

Canelo Alvarez has commented on David Benavidez’s recent call for a clash between the two teams.

Canelo and Benavidez have been linked to a fight for many years, dating back to when they both competed at super middleweight.

While Canelo remains one of the key fighters at 168 pounds, Benavidez has since moved up the rankings, becoming the WBC featherlight heavyweight champion for the first time claiming he defeated Gilberto Ramirez earlier this month win the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles.

Following this victory, Benavidez was linked to fights with the likes of Dmitry Bivol and Jai Opetaia, but he once again made it clear that he would offer Canelo a chance to win the WBC 175-pound belt.

Canelo has now responded by revealing in a media interview with Boxing News that he’s not surprised that Benavidez challenged him again, but he doubts that “The Mexican Monster” will still be able to make the featherlight heavyweight limit after moving up to cruiserweight.

“Every boxer in any category challenges me. It’s nothing modern for me. He did well in the fight [against Ramirez]. I’m not surprised [he called me out]but I don’t think he can get to 175 pounds anymore. It’s not my problem.

Canelo has already competed at 175 pounds twice, but for now a move to featherlight heavyweight seems unlikely given his current world title shot against WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli in Riyad, Saudi Arabia on September 12.

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Mayweather Legal Case: $175 Million Fraud Suit, Child Support Order

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. he spent Friday on both sides of the dock. The retired, undefeated former champion filed a lawsuit accusing former associates of defrauding him of at least $175 million, the same day reports surfaced that a Nevada judge had ordered him to pay more than $1 million in child support. These developments include the $340 million lawsuit Mayweather filed against Showtime in February and a number of smaller claims against him over the past few months.

$175 million fraud case

According to court documents obtained by TMZ SportsMayweather maintains that Jona Rechnitz, a former close associate, spent years gaining his trust before becoming his de facto financial manager, real estate broker and banking broker. The complaint named Rechnitz, Ayala Frist, Frist Apex Ventures and attorney Alexander Seligson, accusing the group of orchestrating a multi-year scheme that allegedly depleted Mayweather’s accounts through fraudulent investments, unauthorized wire transfers and undisclosed business entities.

Among the claims, Mayweather alleges that approximately $100 million worth of jewelry was transferred to Miami jewelers in exchange for approximately $13 million, with most of it still held by dealers; that he committed $7.5 million to an investment that never came to fruition; and that $15 million related to the real estate settlement was transferred without his consent. The filing also alleges that he unknowingly signed documents transferring ownership of his Gulfstream jet, leaving the buyer’s section blank, and that he did not know where the proceeds went. The allegations have not been tested in court and the named parties have not publicly responded as of the filing date of the lawsuit.

Maintenance order

Separately, a Nevada judge found Mayweather, 49, to be the legal father of a 4-year-old girl, Price Moorehead, and ordered him to pay $32,850 a month in continuing support and $933,050 in back payments, he claims. documents reported by Complex and originally obtained by TMZ Sports. The paternity ruling was made in March 2026. The case began in 2023, when Paige Moorehead, who, according to the documents, worked at the Mayweather’s Girl Collection club in Las Vegas, filed a paternity petition. The court granted a default judgment after Mayweather failed to comply with an order to submit to DNA testing. Data cited in the report shows that about $151,000 has been paid toward the remaining amount, and a judge has granted a lien on California properties linked to Mayweather of up to $2 million to secure payment.

Showtime Suit

The novel filings are the culmination of a $340 million lawsuit Mayweather filed in February against Showtime Networks and former Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza in Los Angeles County Superior Court. That complaint alleges that Mayweather’s former manager and advisor, Al Haymon, orchestrated a long-running financial fraud scheme involving the network and Espinoza, citing four causes of action, including aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty and civil conspiracy to commit fraud. In the complaint, Haymon was described as the architect of the alleged scheme but was not named as a defendant. Espinoza said he was surprised by the lawsuit and defended his records, while a spokesman for Showtime’s parent company, Paramount, called the claims baseless. Details of this report were described in a previous report by Boxing Insider.

The bigger financial picture

The proceedings are ongoing alongside a number of separate claims against Mayweather. He faced a $7.3 million IRS tax lien, lawsuits from two Miami jewelers over unpaid bills, a dispute over more than $300,000 in unpaid rent for a Manhattan apartment and a claim for private jet services. Mayweather, who retired in 2017 with a 50-0 record, remains lively in the exhibition ring and has been linked with a rematch with Manny Pacquiao scheduled for September in Las Vegas.

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Devin Haney reignites debate over Vasily Lomachenko’s decision

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Image: The Disputed Haney-Lomachenko Decision: Two Years Later, Still a Robbery in the Eyes of Boxing Fans

Three years later, Devin Haney is still defending the most disputed victory of his career, and after his latest post on X, fans immediately turned their attention back to the fight with Vasily Lomachenko.

Haney reacted after criticism of George Kambosos Jr.’s journey. to become undisputed in the lightweight division, reminding people that he defended his belts against Lomachenko after defeating Kambosos twice in Australia.


The response quickly reopened one of boxing’s longest-running arguments of the last few years. A huge portion of fans and media members still believe that Lomachenko deserved the decision for the May 2023 fight in Las Vegas, especially after the way he finished the second half of the fight.

Many observers scored the championship rounds for Lomachenko, with round ten remaining the biggest point of controversy. Referee Dave Moretti awarding this round to Haney was met with weighty criticism at the time, and is still regularly mentioned when the fight is discussed on the Internet.

Others defended Haney’s victory as a close but reasonable decision based on his early work, jabs, body shots and distance control. Haney also entered the fight with major physical advantages over Lomachenko, including youth, height and reach.

Haney was 24 when he fought Lomachenko, who was already 35 and further into his career. Haney also had a significant reach advantage and was viewed by many as the naturally bigger lightweight.

The fight continues to divide opinion across boxing, with some fans still calling it a robbery while others see it as a final decision that could reasonably have gone either way.

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Categories Devin Haney, Vasily Lomachenko

Last updated: 23/05/2026 at 8:32

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