Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua emerged victorious on Friday night in Miami, stopping YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul with a knockout in the sixth round of their widely debated, Netflix-backed showdown at the Kaseya Center.
The contest, reportedly worth a combined purse of $184 million to both fighters, had drawn sharp criticism from across the boxing world even before the opening bell.
Many observers expressed concern over the stark disparity in experience, skill, and physical attributes between Joshua, a two-time former world champion from Britain, and Paul, an internet celebrity who has built a profitable boxing profile through a series of unconventional matchups.
Despite those fears, the bout did not end as swiftly as many predicted. Joshua initially struggled to impose himself, labouring through a scrappy and often awkward encounter. Paul repeatedly fell to the canvas, sometimes appearing to seek refuge by clutching at Joshua’s legs, turning portions of the fight into a spectacle bordering on farce.
The frustration was evident even for referee Christopher Young, who admonished both men during the fourth round, telling them, “The fans did not pay to see this crap.”
As the rounds progressed, however, Joshua’s superior size, strength, and power began to dictate the action. The 6ft 6in former champion gradually increased his output, landing with greater frequency as Paul visibly tired. After dropping the American twice in the fifth round, Joshua delivered the decisive blow in the sixth.
Backing the 6ft 1in Paul into a corner, Joshua first stunned him with a powerful left before finishing the contest with a crushing right hand to the chin, sending Paul heavily to the canvas and bringing the bout to an abrupt end.
Reflecting on the performance afterward, Joshua admitted it had not been his sharpest outing. “It wasn’t the best performance,” he said. “But the end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down, and hurt him.
“That was the request leading up, and that was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its destination.”
Despite the criticism surrounding the fight, Joshua was generous in his assessment of his opponent’s resolve. “I want to give him his props—he got up time and time again,” Joshua said. “It was difficult in there for him, but he kept on trying to find a way. It takes a real man to do that.”
Paul, whose face was bloodied following the knockout, suggested he may have suffered a broken jaw but remained upbeat about the experience. “That was fun. I gave it my all,” he said. “I had a blast. I think my jaw is broken by the way. But Anthony’s one of the best to ever do it, so. I’m gonna come back and get a world championship.
“I just got tired, to be honest—like it was so much handling his weight. I think with better cardio, I could have kept it up and kept on fighting. But he hits really hard.”
The fight came just over a year after Paul’s controversial bout with a 58-year-old Mike Tyson, another event that drew widespread condemnation. Although many had forecast a brutal early stoppage from Joshua, Paul managed to survive the opening rounds by staying out of range and avoiding prolonged exchanges.
Statistics showed Joshua landing 48 of 146 punches thrown, compared to Paul’s modest return of just 16 landed shots. The bout also marked Joshua’s first appearance in the ring in 15 months.
With the fight now behind him, Joshua is already looking ahead to a potentially lucrative clash with fellow British heavyweight and former world champion Tyson Fury in 2026. “We shook off the cobwebs, and I can’t wait to roll into 2026,” he said. “And if Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is, let’s put on some gloves and fight.”
What you should know
The Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul fight was one of the most controversial boxing events of the year, blending elite professional boxing with celebrity spectacle.
While Joshua’s victory reaffirmed the gulf between an accomplished heavyweight champion and a crossover fighter, the bout reignited debate about safety, credibility, and commercialisation in modern boxing. Despite criticism, the fight attracted massive global attention and financial rewards, highlighting how entertainment value continues to influence matchmaking.
For Joshua, the bout served as a low-risk return after a long layoff and a platform to rebuild momentum ahead of bigger, legacy-defining fights.
