Anthony Joshua stopped boxing novice Jake Paul in the sixth round in Miami. The contest ranked among the most uneven pairings in modern boxing. Paul spent much of the fight retreating and avoiding exchanges. He relied on movement rather than sustained offense. Joshua showed clear frustration as Paul refused to engage.
The former two-time world champion asserted control in the fifth round. Joshua closed the ring and forced the action. He knocked Paul down twice under mounting pressure. The sequence exposed the wide gap in class and experience.
Paul fell again early in the sixth round. Joshua followed with a clean and powerful right hand. The punch ended a strange spectacle at the Kaseya Center. Paul failed to beat the referee’s count.
Relief spread across the arena when Paul stood up unaided. He left the ring without medical assistance.
“It wasn’t my best showing,” Joshua said afterward. “I wanted to trap Jake Paul and hurt him.” He accepted the finish took longer than planned. “The right hand finally landed,” he added.
The outcome followed overwhelming expectations. The bout reopened debate about safety in crossover boxing. Experience, size, and power separated the fighters entirely.
Joshua secured the 29th victory of his professional career from 33 bouts. He now turns toward more credible challenges. A long-discussed showdown with Tyson Fury remains the focus.
“Fight a real fighter,” Joshua said. “Step in with me if you believe the talk.”
Paul failed to deliver the shock he promised before the fight. His confidence eroded as the pressure increased.
The 28-year-old hit the canvas repeatedly and grabbed Joshua’s legs. The two-stone weight gap dictated the contest throughout.
Paul landed a few clean punches. The fight lasting into the sixth round reflected poorly on Joshua’s sharpness.
Joshua cuts off the ring as Paul runs out of space
Joshua walked to the ring first and received mixed reactions. His stern expression showed full concentration. He treated the contest seriously throughout the build-up.
Paul’s ringwalk attracted attention for different reasons. Rapper 6ix9ine accompanied him to the ring. The appearance unsettled parts of the crowd.
After the opening bell, Paul circled constantly on the outside. Boos followed quickly. Joshua pressed forward and threw heavy shots. Many punches missed narrowly. Each miss drew gasps from the stands.
Paul responded with gestures and showmanship. He stuck out his tongue and played to the cameras. Every passing minute felt like progress.
Only 13 months earlier, Paul had fought 58-year-old Mike Tyson. That comparison shaped expectations all night.
Paul landed a wide right hand in the fourth round. The punch failed to trouble Joshua. He continued marching forward without hesitation.
More than 300 million Netflix subscribers watched the fight live. Celebrities filled the ringside seats. Rory McIlroy attended after his Sports Personality of the Year win. Rick Ross and Timbaland also watched nearby.
The fifth round delivered the breakthrough many expected earlier. A right hook clipped Paul and dropped him. A swift combination sent him down again. Paul rose slowly and breathed heavily. He tried masking the damage with bravado.
Another heavy right in the sixth round sent Paul sprawling once more. Sections of the crowd urged the referee to intervene.
Many remembered Joshua’s knockout of Francis Ngannou last year. A familiar ending approached. It arrived with less violence. The straight right finally landed flush.
Joshua targets Fury as Paul sells the next chapter
This contest never aimed to test Joshua’s elite boxing level. Promoters designed it for spectacle and profit. Entertainment shaped the entire event.
“I don’t care about legacy,” Joshua said. “Legacy fades with time.” He framed the bout as professional work. “I will keep doing this while I can,” he added.
Joshua leaves Miami with a reported £210m purse share. His team plans another warm-up bout in February. Focus then shifts toward a possible Fury clash in 2026.
Paul accepted defeat without excuses. “I got beat up,” he said afterward. He still spoke confidently about returning.
“I think my jaw is broken,” Paul said. “But I will come back.” He promised to chase a cruiserweight world title.
Love him or loathe him, Paul commands attention. Few fighters generate comparable debate. His promotional power sold belief. Inside the ring, his limits stood clear.
