Anthony Joshua Confronts $45 Million Tax Obligation Following Defeating Jake Paul

Joshua’s historic victory is accompanied by an astounding $45 million tax bill.

There was no question who was the dominant force in the ring after Anthony Joshua’s sensational sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul in Miami on Friday night.

The 6-foot-1 Paul was unable to mount a significant attack, but the former two-time heavyweight world champion exploited his height, reach, and expertise to destroy him.

Fans are concentrating on the victory, but Joshua now has a huge tax burden to pay.

Joshua’s rumored $93 million fight purse put him on par with Paul’s earnings. That may seem like a lot of money on paper, but after taxes are taken into account, the situation is quite different.

Joshua has to pay both the U.S. federal tax and the U.K. part of his earnings because he lives in London. Although there is no state income tax in Florida, the federal government will collect almost 37 percent, or more than $34 million.

Over $7 million will also be collected by the UK tax authorities, with an additional $2 million coming from National Insurance contributions.

Joshua’s total tax liability is close to $45 million, which reduces his take-home pay to about $50 million. It is still among the highest boxer net earnings in recent history, even after these reductions.

Joshua’s tax burden emphasizes how different he is from his opponent, who is American. Paul, a resident of the United States, keeps a bigger portion of his wage by completely avoiding U.K. taxes.

Joshua, however, pays taxes on both sides of the Atlantic, which drastically reduces the amount of money he can take home.

Nevertheless, the knockout triumph solidifies his standing as a formidable force in heavyweight boxing.