Sport4 min(s) read
Published 14:39 19 Dec 2025 GMT
Anthony Joshua is set to square off against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a blockbuster matchup, and it’s already being billed as one of the year’s biggest sporting events.
But if you're in the UK and planning to stream the bout without a valid TV licence, you could be in for a nasty surprise - a fine that could reach up to £1,000.
Jake Paul may have started out on YouTube, but he’s carved a solid record in the ring since his boxing debut in 2018.
The Ohio-born 28-year-old has stepped into the ring 13 times, winning 12 of those bouts.
Most notably, he faced off against former undisputed heavyweight king Mike Tyson in 2024 - a fight that raised eyebrows, given Tyson was 58 years old at the time.
Paul was originally expected to fight Gervonta Davis in November, but when that match-up fell through, he set his sights on a new challenge.
That’s when two-time heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua stepped up, and now the two will go head to head on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua. Credit: Eva Marie Uzcategui/Getty
Unlike traditional pay-per-view events, the Joshua vs Paul showdown will stream exclusively on Netflix in the UK, and no extra fee is required beyond the regular subscription.
But here's the catch - you still need a TV licence if you're planning to watch it live.
According to official UK TV licensing rules, a licence is mandatory for watching any live broadcast - even if it’s on a streaming service like Netflix. The TV licensing site clearly states:
"You need to be covered by a TV licence to watch live on streaming services - such as ITVX, Channel 4, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Now, Sky Go, YouTube, and Netflix."
It goes on to clarify the difference between live and on-demand viewing: "You don't need a TV Licence if you never watch live on any channel, pay TV service or streaming service, or use BBC iPlayer. Streaming is watching TV using the internet instead of downloading a file to your device and watching it later."
The same rules apply to YouTube as well.
Watching a video on demand? No licence required. But tuning into something live - whether it’s Sky News or a live sports match - means you need to be covered.
The guidelines go on: "You don't need a TV Licence to watch videos or clips on demand on YouTube.
"But you DO need a TV Licence if you watch TV live on YouTube. An example of this would be watching Sky News live. But it isn't just live news or sport which needs a licence – it's any programme which is part of a TV channel, shown or transmitted for everyone to watch at the same time."
So, UK viewers hoping to catch the fight live on Netflix without facing penalties must ensure they’re covered - or risk a fine that could go up to £1,000.
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Check that you can stream the fight legally. Credit: Chesnot / Getty
While fans are hyped for the fight, Anthony Joshua is heading into the fight with serious intent - and he’s not holding back when it comes to his expectations.
Speaking to CBS Sports, Joshua didn’t mince words about what success means to him in this match-up. "Let's taper what failure is. The first level of failure is the loss. There's nothing I can do to reverse that. That's the worst outcome," he said.
"The next level of failure is a competitive eight-round fight - that's a big failure on my part. There are so many different levels of failure within this. It's a serious time for me. There's a lot at stake, and I don't want to lose myself."
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