Former unified champion methodically breaks down exhausted YouTuber-turned-boxer in Miami mismatch
Anthony Joshua restored some order to heavyweight boxing by stopping Jake Paul via sixth-round knockout in a Netflix-streamed spectacle at Miami’s Kaseya Center that drew 19,600 fans but disappointed with its lack of action. The former two-time unified champion (29-4, 26 KOs) dropped Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) four times — twice in the fifth and twice in the sixth — before referee Christopher Young halted the bout at 1:31 of round six after a devastating right hand left the YouTuber unable to continue intelligently. Paul later revealed a double broken jaw requiring surgery and titanium plates, confirming hospital scans post-fight.
Paul’s survival strategy dominated early: constant lateral movement, clinches and repeated slips to the canvas whenever Joshua closed distance, turning the fight into a monotonous “bicycle ride” with minimal exchanges. Joshua, returning after 15 months following a fifth-round KO loss to Daniel Dubois, advanced methodically with his six-inch reach advantage, working behind jabs without overcommitting against a 216-pound opponent 27 pounds lighter. A controversial fourth-round tumble, with Joshua landing awkwardly atop Paul, drew an extended referee break, but fatigue set in by round five as Joshua’s heavier shots buckled Paul’s legs.
The end came swiftly in the sixth: an early right uppercut rocked Paul, followed by a head combination for the third knockdown, then a chopping right and final bomb that prompted the stoppage despite Paul rising unsteadily. Joshua admitted it “wasn’t the best” performance and took longer than expected but praised Paul’s resilience while issuing a challenge to Tyson Fury: “If you’re serious, stop talking on Twitter and fight with your fists.” A Saudi Arabia warmup in February is rumored before a potential Fury clash.
Paul exceeded low expectations by lasting into the sixth and absorbing heavyweight power, earning respect despite the mismatch criticized for vast size (Joshua 243 pounds, 6’6″) and experience gaps. Promoter Nakisa Bidarian cited the size disparity over skill, while Paul vowed a cruiserweight return after recovery. Celebrities like Rory McIlroy and Juan Soto attended the $184 million purse event, which reaffirmed Joshua’s elite status but left questions about his chin and killer instinct lingering from recent defeats.
