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Anthony Joshua’s biggest night in the ring has also produced one of the largest tax bills of his career, underscoring how global sports earnings can shrink once governments take their share.
Joshua earned a reported $92 million from his heavyweight exhibition bout against Jake Paul on Friday night in Miami, part of a $184 million prize pool split evenly between the two fighters.
The payday is the largest single purse Joshua has collected. But because the fight took place in the United States, a substantial portion of that money will not stay with him.
Joshua faces $66 million tax bill
US federal income tax is expected to claim about 37 percent of Joshua’s earnings, or roughly $52 million, based on top marginal rates.
Back in the United Kingdom, Joshua is also expected to pay about $11.3 million to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, along with $2.8 million in National Insurance contributions. Taken together, the total tax bill comes to about $66 million.
Florida does not levy a state income tax, which spares Joshua an additional charge. Even so, after federal and UK obligations, his take-home pay is estimated at about $74 million from a total gross haul of roughly $140 million tied to the event and related income.
The fight itself was short and decisive. Joshua landed a clean right hand in the sixth round that ended a one-sided contest against Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer who absorbed sustained punishment before the knockout.
Joshua faces taxes in two countries
While both men earned the same purse, Paul’s tax situation is simpler. As a US-based fighter, he is expected to be taxed only in the US, allowing him to keep a big share of his winnings.
The contrast highlights how location and residency can shape the final outcome of blockbuster fights just as much as the result in the ring. For Joshua, the earnings will be taxed once in the US and again when they are reported in the UK, with National Insurance adding another layer.
The bout also comes at an important moment in Joshua’s career. Earlier this year, he fell off Forbes’ 2025 list of the world’s top 50 highest-paid athletes.
In 2024, he ranked 16th after earning about $83 million before taxes, driven by four wins in the ring and endorsement deals with brands including Under Armour, Beats by Dre and Lucozade.
