Anthony Joshua did what he had to do on Friday night in Miami: He put an end to Jake Paul's boldest and most controversial experiment in boxing with a devastating victory that felt less like a sports result and more like a restoration of sanity.
In a scheduled eight-round heavyweight bout at the Kaseya Center that was streamed worldwide to Netflix's estimated 300 million subscribers, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion scored four knockdowns before stopping the YouTuber-turned-boxer in the sixth round due to a mismatch that resulted in weeks of safety concerns and morale strain. Joshua's triumph, in an evening tailor-made for both memes and punches, served as a reminder that boxing still adheres to its elemental laws and that power and pedigree eventually reassert themselves.
From the first bell the form of the fight was unmistakable. Joshua unconditionally took the center of the ring, and Paul circled around him, moving sideways from left to right and back again. The first round was very quiet and was punctuated by boos from the crowd. Paul landed a short double kick to the body before rushing back to safety. Joshua landed an overhand right that seemed to come off the retreating target, taking full advantage of the 22-foot ring. It was preliminary, but Joshua's control of space gave him the victory.
The second one followed a similar pattern. Joshua swung and missed early, and Paul continued to run, using lateral movements to throw the bigger man off. Joshua began cutting off the ring more effectively, but Paul clinch every time the distance closed, drawing louder cheers from the near-capacity crowd. A brief clash of heads stopped the action and although Joshua hinted at body work, he continued the headhunt. This round was defined by momentum: Joshua did little, Paul did less.
By the third time, Joshua's patience began to bear fruit. Paul briefly entered the pocket and attempted an uppercut, catching only skin. Joshua responded with more powerful punches, narrowly missing but drawing loud gasps from the crowd. Late in the round, a right hand to the ribs appeared to buckle Paul, the first clear sign of damage. Again, Joshua didn't land very cleanly, but he was the only fighter who was trying to win, not just survive.
In the fourth match, the fight turned into a farce. Paul retreated completely as Joshua struggled to corner him, turning at every opportunity. The crowd became increasingly hostile. The situation continued in the south when Paul went down after receiving a low blow, leading to a lengthy stoppage of the match by referee Chris Young, giving him valuable time to recover. It didn't help much. Paul fell again, then again, clearly tired and trying to buy time. Despite repeated delays, the referee did not deduct points, causing constant ridicule from the stands.
By the fifth moment the competition had moved from inadequacy to embarrassment. Paul failed once more before finally being dropped by a clean right hand. He beat the score but seemed close to collapse. A second knockdown followed moments later, again with a right, and Joshua finished the round by locking Paul in the corner and landing unanswered punches. Somehow, Paul survived until the bell rang, although it no longer resembled a sports competition.
The end came at the beginning of the sixth. The floor fell almost immediately, righted itself, and then fell again under constant pressure. This time he failed to beat the score. Young waved him off at the 1:31 mark, finally ending a fight that had long since outlived its justification.
The fight had a surreal symmetry that boxing cannot resist. Miami is where Cassius Clay once made Sonny Liston quit smoking on his stool In 1964, an epoch-making shock occurred that undermined ideas about sports. This was different: a modern spectacle that borrowed from an old setting but lacked competitive integrity. Paul, 28, went 5-1 thanks to a torrent of expired money against the 36-year-old Olympic gold medalist with an 89% knockout percentage. The mania surrounding the fight spread to Air Force One, where US President Donald Trump said he was tuning in.
“On the plane I just watched Jake Paul fight and he did very well, especially as a display of GREAT courage against the very talented and big Anthony Joshua,” Trump. posted in Truth Social. “Fantastic fun, but kudos to Jake for his stamina and, frankly, ability against a much bigger man!”
Joshua coming back after a fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, he considered the fight as both a restart and a referendum. There is growing talk of a highly anticipated fight with Tyson Fury next year, and of Joshua as boxing's reluctant bouncer: the “real” fighter tasked with putting an end to the interloper's show. He leaned in during the build-up, describing the dark reality of the sport and hinting at the violence it can contain. On fight night, he fought with the seriousness he promised.
“It wasn't my best performance,” Joshua said. “The end goal was to grab Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That's what was on my mind. It took a little longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its destination.”
These immediate consequences only emphasized what the fight itself had made inevitable. Paul can sell boxing, box on stage and keep boxing in the spotlight in a way that few modern figures can. Money talks: Paul and Joshua will reportedly earn a minimum of $50 million (£37.3 million) each for their efforts. But inside the ring, against a full-sized heavyweight with a championship background, the limits of manifest reality came into stark relief.
