Anthony Joshua and Paul Produce a Regrettable Display and the Most Troubling Aspect is More is to Come

The YouTuber-turned-fighter's jaw dropped wide open, his eyes becoming wide, stunned circles as he sank to the canvas in shock and awe after a devastating right hand from Anthony Joshua. It appeared as if Paul was trying to utter "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 not retreat or cling to Joshua's legs in a desperate clinch as the gravity of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the shot that broke his jaw in two separate places, Paul was lost in an utterly dazed moment.

So that is what it is like, and looks, to be hit hard by a real boxer, an Olympic gold medallist and former world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is indeed the appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been sent to the floor, but the result of a clean power shot ensured Paul would not be able to get up and taunt his opponent before the referee called the contest over. As blood began to trickle from his mouth, and a numbing throb spread through his jaw, Paul at last grasped how difficult, grueling, and perilous boxing is at a decent standard of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Commanding Victory for Joshua

Anthony Joshua, it should be stressed, was not impressive during the bedlam. After his empty victory, he made a throat-slitting gesture that suggested a clinical and deadly finish when, in reality, Joshua had appeared exasperated for most of the contest. Instead of glowering with menace or displaying an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed tentative and awkward for almost five rounds.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, dictated the result. Lacking the stamina to flee any more, and resorting to falling to the deck as often as he could for a rest, Paul was left helpless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the brutal finish, but, up to that point, he had looked like a sad imitation of the fighter he had been in 2017.

Joshua's Aftermath Comments

"That was not the best display," Joshua conceded. "The end goal was to catch Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand eventually found its target."

Joshua commended Paul's bravery but he added an excuse for his own stilted performance. "He came up against a genuine competitor tonight that's had a 15-month hiatus," Joshua said, mentioning his previous defeat. "We shook off the cobwebs, and I am eager to head into 2026."

The Future: Faded Forces and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a jovial Joshua tried out a poor impression of his domestic rival as he called for a scrap against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that matchup comes much too late in their professional journeys. Both fighters are on the downward slope of the peak.

In stark contrast, the most interesting big men in the world remain the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. Usyk is still the unquestioned ruler of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury twice. At the same time, Itauma is a rising force. The youthful British heavyweight likely have required less than half the amount of rounds that Joshua needed to knock Paul into a appropriately astonished stupor.

The Defeated Fighter's Defiant Response

But the fans gets what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more pitiful crossover fights. Paul appeared truly proud and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of the next day, he posted an X-ray, with the two fractures marked in crimson.

That jokey reference to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a far greater fighter than Joshua but a similarly diminished presence, showed that Paul's brazen audacity remains unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will soon find another opponent with whom he can make north of $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before leaving for the medical facility, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more grim summary of the evening as Paul mixed harsh reality with gory bravado and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A proper ass-whipping from one of the greatest to ever do it. I love this sport and I'm going to return and continue winning."