While Jake Paul licks his wounds and recovers from the broken jaw he suffered After Friday's knockout loss to heavyweight Anthony Joshua, the former YouTube star should be proud of himself.
Somehow, 28-year-old Paul, who reset four times at the Casey Center in Miami, advanced to the sixth round against the former two-time heavyweight champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist. In fact, Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) even landed a few big punches along the way, including a straight right that turned the chin of Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs).
It probably goes without saying, but here it goes again: Paul had the courage to fuel his individualistic and daring personality as the best powerhouse boxer in the world (and a pretty good promoter to boot, as the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions).
But Paul's bravery is where the jokes about this Netflix “attraction” begin and end.
For the third time in a row, Paul left true boxing fans shaking their heads with yet another spectacle that was still expertly gift-wrapped as an officially sanctioned professional boxing match, promising skill and entertainment.
If the sad reality of Paul pushing 58-year-old Mike Tyson to the eight-round limit in November 2024, or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., the 39-year-old former middleweight titleholder, upending boxing's climax by refusing to go the first eight rounds against Paul in June, wasn't enough to make you hit the throw away button on The Jake Paul Boxing Experience once and for all, then Paul-Joshua was undoubtedly the straw that broke the fight. the back of a boxing purist.
Paul, who insisted on a huge 22-foot by 22-foot ring, continued to fight in the most negative and frustrating style possible, dodging Joshua, regularly holding him down and, worse, regularly falling to the ground while holding Joshua's leg to buy more time. The performance was an absolute mockery of a sloppy fight, made even more frustrating by the fact that Joshua refused to throw a punch, barely let go of his right hand and regularly missed shots to the head, catching Paul by the shoulders in a largely uninspired performance.
After Paul began his professional career feeding on a roster of superior entertainers, retired professional athletes and aging MMA legends, the call for him to finally fight someone of his own size or experience level only grew stronger, especially considering the only time Paul did so – against Tommy Fury in 2023 – he suffered his first professional defeat by split decision. The match against Joshua, creatively dubbed “Judgment Day” after AJ replaced Paul's original November opponent, lightweight star Gervonta “Tank” Davis, was supposed to be Paul's moment of truth.
Instead, it has caused embarrassment that has only increased the echo on social media of critics who believe Paul's fights are recorded or programmed, which has never been confirmed (and Paul takes this accusation seriously, regularly threatening libel lawsuits). But what Friday's fight really proved is that the only thing worse than consumers thinking your fights aren't real is believing they are and being disgusted enough by the quality of the spectacle to not care about further sequels.
As an influencer, Paul knows first-hand the power of a viral moment, and his professional boxing career has been filled with many of them, a testament to his ability to become one of the biggest names in the sport despite not having an amateur career and being constantly questioned. But audiences can only tolerate the fury and farce until the hunger pangs of real content begin to drown out all the noise.
Paul's fights are often more like exhibitions, so technically they should be labeled and booked as such. They're empty calories and more like reality TV, like Paul, who might as well star in his own Gen Z version of Fear Factor or The Pros vs. Joe, although he dares to be crazy enough to last six rounds with Joshua, challenge a middle-aged Tyson or chase down a 135-pound Davis. This is MrBeast Games in the boxing ring, and there is certainly a market for it.
But they can no longer be considered real fights and cannot be presented as part of the traditional boxing menu.
If anyone acts like boxing is better than the sport, they're simply not paying enough attention to how often the sport really can't get out of its own way. Boxing is by no means better than this, so we rarely get the good stuff. But that's how it should be.
Paul took home millions of dollars for a fight he barely tried to win. For him, it was about survival and proving the doubters wrong.
And for those who tuned in just out of morbid curiosity to see Paul finally get his, they got it too. Along with enough reasons to never tune in again.
