Joshua & Jake Paul Deliver a Regrettable Spectacle and the Most Troubling Part is There's More to Come
The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped agape, his eyes becoming huge glazed saucers as he sank to the canvas in shock and awe after a devastating right hand from Anthony Joshua. It looked as if Paul was attempting to utter "Whoa!" as the force of the blow registered to his rattled senses.
"Those watching didn't pay to see this garbage," snapped the referee, encapsulating the dismal spectacle far more effectively than anyone else could.
Trapped in a neutral corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could not retreat or cling to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the serious reality of boxing enveloped him. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was lost in an utterly stunned moment.
So that is what it is like, and looks, to be hit hard by a real professional fighter, an Olympic gold medallist and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is certainly the word.
It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been knocked down, but the result of a proper punch ensured Paul would not be able to rise and taunt his opponent before the referee called the charade over. As blood began to trickle from his lips, and a dull ache spread through his jaw, Paul finally grasped how difficult, exhausting, and perilous boxing is at a decent standard of competition.
A Far From Impressive Win for Joshua
Anthony Joshua, it must be noted, was far from convincing amid the chaos. After his hollow victory, he performed a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a precise and lethal finish when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for most of the fight. Rather than exuding intimidation or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed tentative and crude for nearly five stanzas.
Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a fundamental requirement in elite boxing, dictated the outcome. Lacking the stamina to flee any more, and reduced to slipping to the canvas as frequently as he could for a rest, Paul was left helpless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the vicious finish, but, up to that point, he had looked like a mournful imitation of the boxer he had been in 2017.
The Winner's Aftermath Comments
"That was not the finest performance," Joshua admitted. "The objective was to catch Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the request, and that's what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand eventually reached its target."
Joshua commended Paul's bravery but he offered an explanation for his own stilted showing. "He faced a real fighter tonight that's had a 15-month hiatus," Joshua said, referencing his last loss. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I can't wait to roll into 2026."
What Comes Next: Faded Forces and Rising Stars
In the post-fight interview that followed, a cheerful Joshua tried out a woeful impression of his domestic rival as he demanded a scrap against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will likely get his wish, but that matchup comes much too late in their careers. Both men are on the downward slope of the hill.
In stark contrast, the most compelling big men in the world are the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk is still the undoubted king of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury twice. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rising talent. The young British heavyweight would probably have required fewer than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua required to knock Paul into a suitably astonished stupor.
The Defeated Fighter's Unbowed Response
But the public gets what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more pitiful crossover fights. Paul appeared genuinely proud and cocky to have had his mandible fractured by a sledgehammer right. In the early hours of Saturday morning, he posted an X-ray, with the pair of breaks highlighted in crimson.
That jokey reference to the Mexican superstar, a much superior boxer than Joshua but a similarly faded force, showed that Paul's comic chutzpah remains undented. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate someone else with whom he can make more than $50 million.
During his in-ring interview, before departing to the hospital, Paul spat a tracer of blood onto the canvas. It was another bleak summary of the night as Paul mixed harsh reality with gory bravado and said: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A proper beating from one of the best to ever do it. I adore this sport and I'm going to return and continue winning."
