In a spectacle that underscored a vast gulf in class, British heavyweight Anthony Joshua methodically stopped boxing novice Jake Paul in the sixth round in Miami, ending one of the sport’s most striking mismatches.
The fight unfolded as widely predicted, with Paul, the 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, spending much of the contest in defensive survival mode. A frustrated Joshua, 36, finally imposed his will in the fifth round, knocking Paul down twice.
A third knockdown and a powerful, clean right hand in the sixth brought a surreal night to an abrupt conclusion at the Kaseya Center.
“It wasn’t the best performance,” admitted Joshua, who claimed the 29th win of his professional career. “The end goal was to pin Jake Paul down and hurt him. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination.”
The bout’s one-sided nature reignited debates about the safety risks of pairing a two-time world champion with a novice, given the stark disparity in experience, size, and power.
Paul, who promised the “greatest upset in sporting history,” spent rounds tumbling to the canvas and grappling with Joshua’s legs, unable to cope with a two-stone weight disadvantage.
Despite the emphatic finish, the fact the contest stretched into the sixth round was an unflattering reflection on Joshua’s performance. With the expected victory secured, Joshua can now turn his attention to a legitimate challenge, calling out his long-time rival: “Come and fight one of the ‘realest’ fighters out there, step into there with me next if you’re a really bad boy,” he said, setting the stage for a potential super-fight with Tyson Fury.
By James Kisoo
