🔗 Share this article

Jake Paul's jaw dropped agape, his eyes becoming wide, stunned circles as he sank to the mat in stunned disbelief following a pulverising right hand from the former champion. It appeared as if Paul was trying to utter "Wow!" as the severity of the blow registered to his rattled senses.

"The fans didn't spend money to see this rubbish," snapped the referee, encapsulating the sorry spectacle much more succinctly than anyone else managed to.

Trapped in a corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could not retreat or hold on to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the serious reality of boxing became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the shot that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an utterly dazed moment.

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

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been knocked down, but the consequences of a clean power shot ensured Paul could not rise and waggle his tongue defiantly before the official waved the charade to a halt. As blood began to trickle from his lips, and a dull ache radiated through his jawbone, Paul finally understood how difficult, grueling, and perilous boxing is at a decent standard of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Commanding Win for the Victor

Joshua, it must be noted, was not impressive amid the chaos. After his empty victory, he made a cut-throat motion that hinted at a precise and deadly finish when, in reality, Joshua had appeared exasperated for the majority of the fight. Instead of glowering with menace or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed tentative and awkward for almost five rounds.

Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a fundamental requirement in elite boxing, shaped the result. Without the gas to flee any more, and resorting to slipping to the deck as often as he could for a rest, Paul was left helpless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the vicious ending, but, up to that point, he had looked like a sad shadow of the fighter he was in 2017.

The Winner's Aftermath Assessment

"It wasn't the finest display," Joshua conceded. "The objective was to get Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the request, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a little more time than anticipated, but the straight right eventually reached its target."

Joshua praised Paul's courage but he added an excuse for his own labored performance. "He faced a genuine competitor tonight that's had a 15-month layoff," Joshua said, referencing his previous defeat. "We dusted off the rust, and I can't wait to head into 2026."

What Comes Next: Faded Forces and Rising Stars

In the post-fight interview that followed, a cheerful Joshua tried out a poor imitation of his domestic rival as he demanded a fight against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will likely get his wish, but that matchup comes much too late in their professional journeys. Both men are on the downward slope of the peak.

In stark contrast, the most compelling big men in the world remain the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk remains the unquestioned ruler of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rapidly ascending force. The youthful British heavyweight would probably have needed less than half the amount of three-minute periods that Joshua required to knock Paul into a suitably wowed stupor.

Paul's Unbowed Response

But the fans gets what the public desires, and that undoubtedly means more low-quality crossover fights. Paul seemed truly satisfied and brash to have had his mandible fractured by a hammer-like right. In the wee hours of the next day, he posted an X-ray, with the pair of breaks highlighted in crimson.

That lighthearted nod to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a much superior boxer than Joshua but a equally faded force, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity remains undented. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will soon find another opponent with whom he can earn more than $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before departing to the hospital, Paul spat a streak of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more bleak summary of the evening as Paul mangled blunt truth with gory bravado and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A nice little ass-whipping from one of the best to ever do it. I love this shit and I'm going to return and continue winning."