Jake Paul will face off against Anthony Joshua on Friday, but his stunning partner Jutta Leerdam could be poised to capture just as many headlines as the boxer himself. The social media star, 28, and Dutch speed skating sensation Leerdam, 26, have been an item since early 2023.
Their relationship began following Paul’s breakup with model Julia Rose the previous December. The romance blossomed after they were spotted together at a Miami fashion show, and their bond has flourished ever since, leading to an engagement earlier this year.
When announcing their relationship on Instagram, Leerdam posted a collection of photographs with the understated caption: “That’s it.”
The post garnered over 150,000 likes within two hours, with Paul responding in Dutch: “Ice queen.”
Paul then shared his own images of the pair holding hands, writing: “I’m dutch now”.
Leerdam, at just 26, has emerged as one of Europe’s leading speed skaters since her breakthrough at the 2017 World Junior Championships.
Her collection of honours includes two golds from the World Sprint Championships, four European Championship victories, and most notably, Olympic silver from Beijing 2022.
She’s now setting her sights on gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
She also prevailed at the 2025 ISU European Speed Skating Championships. However, it’s her relationship with Paul that has thrust her into the celebrity limelight.
Leerdam was present at ringside when Paul faced off against 59-year-old boxing icon Mike Tyson last November, witnessing her boyfriend secure triumph in the much-anticipated bout.
The contest proved transformative for Leerdam, whose social media following exploded overnight. Marketing specialist Max Kohnstamm informed Dutch publication De Telegraaf that Leerdam has been meticulously building her personal brand, with those endeavours now paying dividends.
“For years, Leerdam has been dealing with the sport [speed skating] very differently than others do,” Kohnstamm said. “She has been working on the brand ‘Jutta Leerdam’ all this time. As a result, she soon became not just a good skater, but also her own brand. Because that is, after all, the definition of an influencer.”
Social media expert Joey Scheufler believes Leerdam’s digital approach has afforded her remarkable independence, adding: “Jutta can now make completely different choices in sports, for example, she no longer has to be in a team to still be very visible.”
In a daring professional decision, Leerdam has opted against extending her deal with speed skating team Team Jumbo whilst preparing for the Winter Olympics. The choice was allegedly taken to bolster her personal brand beyond team connections, with the Dutch sensation now commanding an impressive 4.8 million Instagram followers.
Scheufler continued: “A Team Jumbo like that was not interesting at all for her online reach. And certainly not in America. She now works exclusively with Celsius Energy Drink, which she earns a lot of money from. Jutta has handled it very cleverly, because she transcends skating.”
Social media and influencer expert Kirsten Jassies observed: “Don’t forget her beautiful appearance. She knows very well how to use social media, but in combination with bikini photos and other beautiful content, that of course ensures a lot of reach.”