Act before you start reaching. That is Jake Paul’s message to ESPN. His caution follows the latest development that has jolted the boxing world. Ten years after producing the richest event in boxing history, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will meet again in September, tentatively at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The rematch will be the sixth marquee fight streamed live on Netflix.

“I love Canelo and Bud on Netflix,” Paul wrote on X. “I love Ryan and Barrios on DAZN. I love Manny and Money back for a pro fight. I hope ESPN gets back in soon too. It’s all good for growing boxing. That should be the focus.”

That message lands at a pivotal moment for boxing’s broadcast business. The YouTuber-turned-fighter’s latest remark mirrors a shift that has gained real traction across combat sports since 2024. In a sport long dominated by the traditional pay-per-view model, Jake Paul helped ignite a new movement when he fought Mike Tyson in November of that year.

The fight’s massive success drew a reported 108 million viewers worldwide to the Netflix card at AT&T Stadium, making it the most-streamed event in sporting history. That benchmark quickly became a model others moved to replicate.

With three marquee events unfolding in 2025 – Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano III, Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez, and finally Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua – Netflix signaled a future where blockbusters could be delivered without PPV.

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And the momentum does not show any sign of slowing down. This year, the streaming platform has scheduled the highly anticipated return of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in a matchup against contender Arslanbek Makhmudov in April. Now, with Manny Pacquiao–Floyd Mayweather II confirmed, Netflix is set to add another defining moment to boxing history.

In contrast to Netflix’s aggressive push into the sport, ESPN stepped away from it last year.

Jake Paul issues a wake-up call as boxing moves to streaming

Signaling a clear retreat from premium fight cards, this past August, the Walt Disney-owned ESPN ended its 8-year, 54-event annual contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank. The move followed the departure of another longtime boxing broadcaster, Showtime, after 37 years of airing some of the sport’s biggest fights. As a result, longtime promotional partner Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) secured a deal with another streaming platform – Amazon Prime.

At the same time, new players continued entering the space. Against the backdrop of boxing’s shifting broadcast landscape, Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing launched its inaugural event under the Paramount+ deal as part of its newest promotion. His UFC also had a partnership with ESPN that ultimately expired at the end of 2025.

Through it all, Jake Paul has positioned himself ahead of the curve. While his fights and opponents have always drawn scrutiny, there is little doubt about his business acumen. He’s already ahead of other promoters when it comes to women’s boxing. Building on the growing segment of the sport, he struck a landmark deal with Sky Sports this year, with an all-women’s card scheduled for early April.

Boxing is clearly in transition. Some of the sport’s best are showing renewed willingness to face each other, and several former and retired champions are seeking one more run. The arrival of Netflix and Paramount+ underscores a broader shift. It brings the sport to more fans worldwide rather than preserving the old pay-per-view exclusivity model. ESPN and other traditional players would be wise to take note.