MIAMI — The spectacle met its brutal conclusion in the sixth round. Anthony Joshua, the seasoned former heavyweight champion, finally broke through the stubborn resistance of YouTube sensation Jake Paul, delivering a devastating right hand that ended their highly anticipated main event at the Kaseya Center.
The knockout came after a
frustrating and uncharacteristically patient performance from Joshua. The
Briton, 36, was widely expected to dispatch his novice opponent quickly but
found Paul an elusive and game target in the early rounds.
Paul, fueled by nervous energy,
spent much of the first round retreating, though he thrilled his home crowd
with a clean left hand. Joshua, fighting for the first time since a September
2024 loss to Daniel Dubois, struggled to find his timing and range, allowing
Paul moments of success—including a cheeky uppercut in the third and a
surprising looping hook in the fourth.
The tide turned decisively in the
fifth. Joshua pinned Paul on the ropes and unleashed a flurry that sent the
social media star to the canvas for a referee's count. A menacing follow-up
right hand dropped Paul again just as the bell sounded, setting the stage for
the finale.
In the sixth, a final exchange
sent Paul stumbling. As he rose unsteadily, Joshua measured a colossal right
hand that connected flush, sending Paul collapsing by the ropes and prompting
the referee to wave off the fight.
Post-Fight Respect and Revelation
In the ring, Joshua was gracious
but self-critical. "It wasn't the best performance," he told Netflix.
"The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down, and hurt him. Took a bit
longer than expected, but the right hand found the destination."
He paid respect to Paul's grit:
"He got up, time and time again... You have to give Jake his respect for
trying, trying and trying. But he came up against a real fighter tonight."
Paul, meanwhile, revealed he
fought through significant injury. "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely
broke," he stated, before vowing to continue his boxing journey. "I'm
going to come back and get a world championship belt at some point. I just got
tired, to be honest. He did amazing and hits really hard."
While the fight answered the
question of a world-class athlete versus a dedicated crossover star, it also
showcased Paul's durability and Joshua's relentless, if not flawless, pursuit
of victory.