Anthony Joshua Set to Lose $66m to Tax After $140m Miami Fight Payday

Anthony Joshua may have delivered a crushing performance inside the ring, but outside it, the heavyweight icon is facing a financial hit that has stunned fans and analysts alike.

Despite earning a staggering $140 million from his blockbuster fight in Miami, reports indicate that Joshua could lose as much as $66 million to tax obligations split between the United States and the United Kingdom, dramatically reducing his take-home earnings and, in a bitter twist, potentially leaving him with less net income than the man he defeated, Jake Paul.

The bout, staged in Miami and marketed as one of the most commercially lucrative crossover fights in boxing history, was designed to be a financial windfall for Joshua. The former two-time world heavyweight champion dominated the contest from the opening bell, eventually securing a decisive knockout victory that reinforced the gulf in pedigree between a seasoned elite boxer and a YouTuber-turned-prizefighter. Yet while the sporting outcome was clear, the financial aftermath has proven far more complex.

Because the fight took place in the United States, a significant portion of Joshua’s purse is subject to U.S. federal and state taxes. Under American tax law, non-resident athletes are required to pay taxes on income earned on U.S. soil. This includes federal income tax, which can climb to nearly 37 percent for top earners, as well as state and local taxes depending on the venue. In Florida, where the fight was held, there is no state income tax, offering some relief, but federal taxation alone still accounts for a massive slice of the earnings.

However, Joshua’s tax exposure does not end in the United States. As a UK resident, he is also liable for British taxes on his global income. While double taxation treaties between the UK and the U.S. are designed to prevent athletes from being taxed twice on the same income, they do not eliminate tax obligations altogether. Instead, they allow for credits and offsets, meaning Joshua must still settle the difference if UK tax rates exceed what he has already paid in the U.S.

When all calculations are applied, financial experts estimate that Joshua could part with roughly $66 million in combined taxes, agency fees, and other mandatory deductions. That would leave him with around $74 million from the original $140 million purse. While still an extraordinary sum by any standard, the figure has sparked widespread discussion because Jake Paul, despite losing the fight, is expected to walk away with a comparatively higher net percentage of his earnings.

Paul’s financial advantage lies largely in structural planning. As a U.S.-based fighter and businessman with carefully arranged corporate entities, sponsorship deals, and tax planning strategies, Paul’s earnings are often shielded more efficiently from aggressive taxation. In addition, his fight purse was reportedly lower than Joshua’s, meaning his effective tax rate would also be lower. When endorsements, platform ownership, and promotional stakes are factored in, Paul’s net income from the event may rival or even surpass Joshua’s final take-home figure.

The situation has reignited debate around the financial realities of elite boxing, particularly for international fighters competing in the United States. While headline purses grab attention, the true value of a fight is often determined by what remains after taxes, management fees, training camp expenses, and promotional cuts are deducted. For a fighter like Joshua, whose brand spans continents and whose income streams cross multiple tax jurisdictions, the complexity is even greater.

Joshua’s camp has not publicly commented on the tax figures, but those close to the business side of boxing note that such outcomes are not unusual. Major fights in Las Vegas, New York, or Miami often come with significant tax consequences, and many fighters accept this as the cost of accessing the world’s biggest commercial stages. Still, the scale of Joshua’s deductions has shocked fans, especially given the perception that a dominant knockout victory should automatically translate into unmatched financial reward.

Beyond the numbers, the episode highlights the contrasting business models between traditional boxers and modern crossover stars. Joshua represents the classic route: years of amateur success, Olympic gold, world titles, and gradual brand building through elite competition. Paul, on the other hand, embodies the influencer era, where audience ownership, digital platforms, and promotional leverage can sometimes outweigh sporting credibility. The fact that a defeated opponent could emerge financially comparable to a victorious world champion underscores how dramatically the combat sports economy has evolved.

For Joshua, however, the fight was never solely about the paycheck. At 36, the former champion is rebuilding momentum, silencing critics, and positioning himself for one final run at heavyweight glory. The emphatic nature of his win has reopened doors to mega-fights against the likes of Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder, or Oleksandr Usyk, bouts that could generate even greater purses and, with smarter structuring, potentially more favorable financial outcomes.

Still, the Miami payday serves as a stark reminder that gross earnings and net reality are often worlds apart. In a sport where fighters put their health and legacy on the line, the financial scoreboard does not always align with the result in the ring. Joshua may have knocked out Jake Paul under the bright lights, but when the accountants finish their work, the numbers tell a far more sobering story.

In the end, Anthony Joshua remains one of boxing’s richest and most influential figures, and losing $66 million to tax does little to diminish his status or future earning power. Yet the irony lingers: on a night where he proved his dominance beyond doubt, the financial aftermath has become almost as talked about as the knockout itself.