Anthony Joshua Topps Card Skyrockets in Value After Jake Paul Fight
On December 19, when Anthony Joshua won his boxing match against Jake Paul by knockout, the sports card market was quick to react. While Joshua does not have many sports cards in circulation, his 2025 Olympics Team GB Orange card, numbered to just 25 copies, did sell for $106, only 10 days after a previous sale of $40. And while a $66 jump may not seem significant at first glance, a 165% increase in such a short window is not something to ignore.
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Something sports card collectors know all too well is how much cultural relevance can impact card values, along with the price swings that follow. In fact, this very dynamic is why cards of retired players aren't always steady investments, even when the overall market is healthy. For example, JJ Redick’s cards saw a nice increase after he was named head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, while Brett Favre’s market declined in 2022 after he was accused of being involved in a welfare funds scandal. At the end of the day, it all comes down to public perception, and right now, Anthony Joshua is in the spotlight.
Now, there is no way to determine whether Anthony Joshua will capitalize on the attention this fight brought him, which will ultimately decide where his card prices go from here. That said, there is a large amount of historical data suggesting that card prices which spike due to a single event often fall back down to earth over time. Don’t get me wrong, it is certainly possible that Anthony Joshua uses this moment to line up more high-profile fights and push himself back into the media spotlight. However, the evidence tends to point in the opposite direction.
In 2023, Panini produced a Prizm card of internet sensation Hasbulla Magomedov, whose Gold Prizm autograph sold for more than $7,000 shortly after being released. Just eight months later, that same card resold for under $1,500. Trends tend to fade, and it would not be a stretch to suggest the same will happen with Anthony Joshua.
Jason is a dedicated basketball card collector who recently transitioned into writing and educating others about the sports card industry. Find him on Instagram @jeancardz