Anthony Joshua reasserted the hierarchy of professional boxing Friday night, stopping social media star Jake Paul in the sixth round of their highly anticipated heavyweight clash at the Kaseya Center.
The former two-time unified champion utilised his massive reach and power advantage to dismantle Paul, ending the bout at 1:31 of the round after a series of devastating knockdowns.
The contest began with a tactical, albeit sluggish, pace as Paul attempted to use lateral movement to evade Joshua’s power.
The strategy drew early boos from the Miami crowd and a stern mid-fight rebuke from referee Christopher Young, who told both fighters in the fourth round, "The fans did not pay to see this crap."
The warning appeared to spark Joshua, who began closing the distance with increased aggression.
The tide turned decisively in the fifth round when Joshua floored Paul twice with heavy combinations.
While Paul showed significant resilience by beating the count both times, he was visibly compromised entering the sixth. Joshua landed a final, thunderous right hand that sent Paul to the canvas for the fourth and final time, prompting the referee to wave off the contest.
Following the fight, Paul revealed he had suffered a broken jaw, later sharing an X-ray showing fractures in two places. Despite the injury and his first career stoppage loss, Paul remained upbeat in the ring.
"I got my ass beat, but that’s what this sport’s about," Paul said. "Anthony's a great fighter. I gave it my all."
Joshua, now 29-4, was respectful but firm about the difference in their skill levels. "It took a little bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its destination," Joshua said in his post-fight interview.
"He deserves respect for trying, but he came up against a real fighter tonight." The victory clears the path for Joshua to pursue a long-awaited mega-fight against Tyson Fury in 2026.
