Joshua and Jake Paul Produce a Sorry Display and the Worst Part is There's More to Follow

The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped agape, his expression turning to huge glazed saucers as he collapsed to the mat in stunned disbelief following a pulverising right hand from the former champion. It appeared as if Paul was attempting to say "Wow!" as the severity of the impact sank in to his rattled senses.

Trapped in a neutral corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could no longer retreat or hold on to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the gravity of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that broke his jaw in two separate places, Paul was caught in an utterly dazed moment.

So that is what it is like, and looks, to be struck cleanly by a genuine boxer, an Olympic gold medallist and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is indeed the word.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been sent to the floor, but the result of a proper power shot meant Paul would not be able to rise and waggle his tongue defiantly before the referee called the charade over. As blood began to leak from his lips, and a numbing throb spread through his jawbone, Paul finally understood how hard, grueling, and dangerous boxing is at a decent level of competition.

A Far From Commanding Win for the Victor

Anthony Joshua, it must be noted, was far from convincing during the chaos. After his empty victory, he made a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a clinical and lethal finish when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for most of the fight. Rather than glowering with menace or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed hesitant and awkward for almost five rounds.

Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a fundamental requirement in elite boxing, shaped the outcome. Lacking the stamina to escape any more, and resorting to slipping to the canvas as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was rendered helpless by fatigue. Joshua applied the brutal ending, but, up to that point, he had looked like a sad shadow of the fighter he was in 2017.

Joshua's Aftermath Comments

"That was not the finest display," Joshua admitted. "The objective was to catch Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my mind. It took a little more time than anticipated, but the straight right eventually found its target."

Joshua commended Paul's courage but he offered an explanation for his own labored showing. "He came up against a real fighter tonight that's had a 15-month hiatus," Joshua said, referencing his last defeat. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I am eager to roll into 2026."

The Future: Faded Forces and Rising Stars

In the post-fight interview that followed, a jovial Joshua attempted a woeful imitation of his domestic rival as he called for a scrap against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will probably have his way, but that bout comes far too late in their professional journeys. Both fighters are on the far side of the hill.

In stark contrast, the most interesting big men in the world are the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk is still the unquestioned ruler of the weight class, having beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. At the same time, Itauma is a rapidly ascending force. The youthful British heavyweight likely have needed fewer than half the amount of three-minute periods that Joshua needed to send Paul into a suitably wowed state.

Paul's Defiant Reaction

But the fans gets what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more pitiful crossover contests. Paul appeared genuinely proud and brash to have had his mandible fractured by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of Saturday morning, he posted an X-ray, with the pair of breaks highlighted in red.

That jokey nod to the Mexican superstar, a much superior fighter than Joshua but a similarly faded force, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity is unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate another opponent with whom he can make more than $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before leaving for the hospital, Paul expelled a tracer of blood onto the ring floor. It was another bleak summary of the evening as Paul mixed blunt truth with blood-flecked bullshit and said: "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little beating from one of the greatest to ever do it. I adore this shit and I'm going to return and keep on winning."