British heavyweight Anthony Joshua stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the sixth round of their controversial heavyweight bout, but the long-anticipated mismatch left the boxing world questioning both the spectacle and the safety of the contest.
Joshua, a two-time world champion, was expected to make short work of the novice. Instead, he endured a frustrating night as Paul circled and refused to engage, making it embarrassing that Joshua could not find a way to force exchanges and end the fight sooner.
The breakthrough finally came late in the fifth round when Joshua knocked Paul down twice, imposing his size and power after long spells of inactivity. Paul hit the canvas again in the sixth before a clean and powerful right hand from Joshua ended the fight at Miami’s Kaseya Center.
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There was visible relief inside the arena as Paul rose to his feet after failing to beat the count and was able to leave the ring unassisted.
“It wasn’t the best performance,” Joshua admitted afterwards.
“The end goal was to pin Jake Paul down and hurt him. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination.”
The result was never in serious doubt, but the bout reignited concerns about the risks posed by fights with such a vast gulf in experience, weight and power. Paul, conceding a two-stone disadvantage, repeatedly tumbled to the canvas and at times clutched at Joshua’s legs in an effort to survive.
Although Paul managed to land a handful of punches, the fact the contest stretched into a sixth round was seen by many as an unflattering reflection on Joshua, who claimed the 29th victory of his professional career in 33 fights.
Joshua now turns his attention to more credible opposition, with a long-discussed showdown against Tyson Fury still looming on the horizon.
“Come and fight one of the realest fighters out there,” Joshua said. “Step in there with me next if you’re really a bad boy.”
For Paul, the defeat ended hopes of delivering what he had billed as the greatest upset in sporting history. The 28-year-old was later taken to hospital with a suspected broken jaw, missing the post-fight news conference.
Most Valuable Promotions chief Nakisa Bidarian confirmed the injury.
“We think he broke his jaw, but he’s fine,” Bidarian said. “He drove himself to hospital. A broken jaw is very common in boxing or MMA. Recovery is usually four to six weeks.”
Paul later acknowledged the injury himself, saying his jaw was “definitely” broken—bringing a bruising and surreal night in Miami to a painful close.
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