As we head into the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua Netflix event this Friday from the Kaseya Center in Miami, we explore the topic of boxers going viral.
The term viral was coined in association with social media, denoting posts that get high viewership. Traditional promotions take a back seat to go-getters looking to build their own brand.
This has been most evident with influencers now getting opportunities in boxing based on the viewership they bring in.
Before we start our list, let’s touch on the fighters who nearly made the list.
Joseph Parker has a YouTube channel with documentary-quality videos; middleweight Jahi Tucker had a few Top Rank prelim knockouts that touched a million views; and Andy Ruiz Jnr nearly broke the internet when he beat Anthony Joshua for the heavyweight title in 2019.
Then, we have the late Omar Henry, who was ahead of his time. Henry used Facebook and Myspace as well as interviews on YouTube to build his buzz. Sadly, he passed away in 2013.
And now onto the 10 most viral boxers.
10. Ben Whittaker
Record: 10-0-1 (7 KOs)
Whittaker has had viral moments with his showboating in the ring. Whittaker has moments outclassing less talented opposition, which created traction on the internet. Some have compared him to “Prince” Naseem Hamed, while others have questioned if he can do the same against world-class opponents. Regardless, Whittaker has built a big following based on this, and despite being a 2020 Olympic silver medalist, Whittaker is most known for short clips from his fights that have circulated the internet.
9. Ebanie Bridges
Record: 9-2 (4 KOs)
Bridges went from an unassuming boxer who was a teacher to being the creator of a social media empire. Bridges, who is clearly a hard worker, built a presence on social media that she took to pay platforms such as OnlyFans. Bridges blurred the lines between talent and sexuality. Yet, for detractors of Bridges, the thing many don’t talk about is that she had an incredible work ethic and was an overachiever in the sport of boxing. Bridges had an era in the sport, and forged her own path, partially due to her social media presence.
8. Lamont Roach Jnr
Record: 25-1-3 (10 KOs)
Roach embarked on a new frontier when he began streaming. Roach parlayed his fame from his draw with Gervonta Davis to cultivating a fanbase through Twitch, as he is at the forefront of social media for traditional boxers. Roach became a main event fighter in 2025, and during that time, he embraced a new platform, streaming, which has brought him in front of new fans and detractors.
7. Deontay Wilder
Record: 44-4-1 (43 KOs)
Wilder cultivated a strong fanbase through social media. It only went to the next level with his trilogy against Tyson Fury. Then, Wilder would use social media to speak to his fans directly, even opting for non-traditional boxing media interviews, giving popular YouTubers access over established major outlets. Wilder ushered in a new era in which the boxer speaks directly to his audience.
6. Anthony Joshua
Record: 28-4 (25 KOs)
Joshua might be the last truly famous boxing Olympian. Joshua, a 2012 super heavyweight Olympic gold medalist, became the face of British boxing. Movies have been made about him, his journey documented, and with over 16 million followers on social media, Joshua has a bigger reach than some companies that pay a social media team. Whatever you think of Joshua’s professional career, you can’t doubt the impact he has had and how relevant he has been.
5. Oscar De La Hoya
Record: 39-6 (30 KOs)
De La Hoya has begun to be a factor on social media. His “Clap Back Friday” is a mix of candid opinions from a former titleholder and a Hall of Fame boxer with a bit of cringe like your dad learning how to use each algorithm on TikTok, but you can’t look away. De La Hoya, as a promoter and personality, has a stronger presence than most fighters, and some promotions via his viral clips.
4. Gervonta Davis
Record: 30-0-1 (28 KOs)
Many fight fans gravitate towards Davis. Davis is unpredictable on social media. He might respond to a random fan, post random images or videos. It is done nonchalantly and is often deleted after it is up for a few hours. Davis, at least to some, is authentic to who he is, and his social media presence has only grown his appeal.
3. Devin Haney
Record: 33-0 (15 KOs)
Haney had Devin Haney TV on YouTube, which was access to watching a superstar in the making. With the co-signs of big names like Floyd Mayweather and others, many watched him grow and waited to see what he would do next. He has taken what follows from the YouTube channel to other platforms with a carefully curated and strategic social media use to depict himself in the exact light he intends. Haney is the first fighter who grew up with social media, and doesn’t know a world without it, and you can see him age throughout the apps.
2. Ryan Garcia
Record: 24-2 (22 KOs)
Garcia was able to get knockouts and combine that with goofy internet videos that would get traction, which led to him becoming a boxing sensation. Garcia was an undercard fighter, but would hold media workouts in Los Angeles that looked like a boy-band concert. Through social media, he built a following with fans who were not traditional boxing fans, such as young girls, which is a market that is not often cultivated. Garcia has had a lot of bumps and bruises through his social media endeavors, but his initial push to break through to the mainstream with viral boxing videos has made him a culturally important figure.
1. Jake Paul
Record: 12-1 (7 KOs)
Paul knows what social media feeds off of. He can create the videos that move the needle, and now, as a boxing promoter, his personal social media platforms have larger reaches than some networks, let alone boxing promoters. Paul’s investment in social media before becoming a boxer has paid off, as it has granted him unprecedented power. Paul backdoored his way into boxing, but now he is the most viral boxer in the sport, and any major fight he takes is a huge moment. Just look at Friday’s event, which not all fight fans will love, but it will bring in viewers, and intrigued to see what will happen.
Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.
