Most Valuable Promotions has revealed the lineup for the undercard of the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua fight, scheduled for December 19th at Miami’s Caseya Center, with the event to be streamed live on Netflix.
The undercard remains mostly unchanged, keeping Paul’s fight against Gervonta Davis and Alicia Baumgardner’s unified super featherweight title defense against Layla Beaudoin as the co-main event. However, the anticipated bout between Anderson Silva and former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will no longer take place, replaced by Tyron Woodley stepping in to face Silva in a six-round cruiserweight match.
Both Silva and Woodley have previously lost to Paul—Silva by a narrow unanimous decision in 2022, while Woodley suffered two defeats, including a knockout in their rematch last year. Silva responded to the change by emphasizing respect for his opponent and the boxing community. Weidman pulled out due to injury. Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion from 2016 to 2019, seeks his first boxing victory against one of MMA’s legends, calling this matchup a moment where “legends are born.”
The prelims will see Cherneka “Sugar Neeks” Johnson defend her undisputed bantamweight title against Amanda Galle, Jocasta Valle compete for the WBC strawweight title against Yadira Bustillos, and Avias Griffin face Justin Cardona in a welterweight bout. Additionally, two-time Olympian Kino Marley from Brazil will debut professionally against Diarra Davis in a cruiserweight bout. Meanwhile, the WBA super lightweight title fight between Gary Antuan Russell and Andy Hiraoka has been removed from the card.
Nakisa Bidalyan, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions, called the addition of Silva vs. Woodley an iconic matchup that elevates the event to one of the decade’s most prestigious martial arts spectacles. Bidalyan highlighted that the event, broadcast live on Netflix, showcases two MMA greats sharing the spotlight and features championship battles that emphasize equality, making December 19th a potentially historic night for boxing.
Fan Take: This undercard announcement heightens the excitement for fight fans by blending MMA legends with rising boxing talent, promising intense, cross-discipline matchups. It signals a growing trend of combat sports crossover events that could broaden audiences and elevate the sport’s profile worldwide.
