Tonight’s fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua could generate one of the largest purses in boxing this year, with some industry insiders estimating the total payout at around $184 million-a figure that appears to sit poorly with UFC president and promoter Dana White.
The prize money for the bout, dubbed “Judgment Day,” has been closely guarded, adding to the intrigue surrounding the event, which will be streamed globally on Netflix. The platform’s worldwide reach has only intensified speculation over just how lucrative the fight could be.
At one point, Jake Paul claimed the event could generate as much as $267 million. Anthony Joshua later downplayed that figure, suggesting the fight would not represent the biggest payday of his career. Even so, current estimates point to roughly $92 millionbeing split between the two fighters-a sum that would still rank among the largest single-fight profit distributions in boxing history.
The bout has drawn criticism from some corners of the sport, with detractors dismissing it as a spectacle akin to Paul’s exhibition against Mike Tyson. That fight reportedly earned the YouTube star close to $40 million, according to estimates, further fueling debate over the direction in which modern boxing is headed.
Global broadcasts through streaming platforms like Netflix, combined with the arrival of new investors operating outside traditional promotional models, are allowing certain fighters to earn unprecedented sums. While this shift has proven highly lucrative for boxers like Paul, it has not pleased everyone-especially Dana White.
Dana White wants control of boxing, UFC-style
Jake Paul has repeatedly criticized Dana White over what he views as low fighter pay in the UFC. The boxer has even floated the idea of creating a fighters’ union to push for better purses and improved working conditions across combat sports.
Conor McGregor is widely regarded as the UFC’s highest earner, with career earnings estimated at around $40 million. That figure, however, reflects his total income over time-not a single fight. By comparison, Paul reportedly earned a similar amount in less than an hour during his bout with Mike Tyson.
The scale of boxing paydays appears to have caught some UFC fighters off guard. During an appearance on The Helwani Show, Ariel Helwani addressed Jorge Masvidal and UFC champion Kayla Harrison, telling them:
“Listen, you guys deserve a lot more money. I mean, look at this fight that’s happening tomorrow night-AJ and Jake Paul. Those guys are getting tens,” before revealing that both Paul and Joshua were set to earn tens of millions of dollars.
These figures have only added to White’s frustration. The UFC CEO made his first significant move into top-tier boxing earlier this year when he was involved in promoting the bout between Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and Terence Crawford. While White did not control the purse for that fight, he has made it clear he has no intention of paying the kind of sums now being discussed in boxing.
White is now preparing to reshape the sport under his own vision with the imminent launch of Zuffa Boxing. His goal is straightforward: replicate the UFC’s centralized control model within boxing. Achieving that would likely require challenging-or altering-the Muhammad Ali Act, the federal law that currently protects boxers’ financial rights and independence.
White has long advocated for a centralized system in which the promoter controls rankings and contracts, effectively eliminating the role of independent promoters. Zuffa has already made offers to several boxers, though some representatives have indicated the proposed figures are significantly lower than what fighters can command in today’s open boxing market.
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