Yesterday, in a contentious fight sponsored by Netflix, former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua defeated YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami.
The boxing community was alarmed by the fight at the Kaseya Center, where both men reportedly split a massive purse of $184 million. This was because Joshua, a two-time former world champion from Britain, and Paul, an internet celebrity who has built a successful career through a few novelty boxing fights, were so different in size and class.
But in the end, Joshua worked hard to defeat his far less skilled opponent, and in the latter part of the eight-round bout, his superior size and power finally paid off with a sixth-round knockout, according to AFP.
At points, the dull match turned into a joke as Paul kept falling to the ground and battling Joshua’s legs.
Even referee Christopher Young seemed to be losing patience at one point, telling the competitors in the fourth round, “The fans did not pay to see this crap.”
Joshua, who is 6 feet 6 inches (1.85 meters) tall, started to strike punches more frequently as Paul grew weary. After defeating the 6-foot-1-inch American twice in the fifth round, the bout ended quickly in the sixth.
After backing the 28-year-old into a corner and setting up Paul with a crunching left, Joshua delivered the knockout blow with a right to the jaw, sending his opponent sprawling to the ground.
After the performance, Joshua, 36, acknowledged that it wasn’t the best.
However, the ultimate objective was to capture Jake Paul, restrain him, and cause him harm.
“I was thinking about that, and that was the request that came before it. The right hand eventually reached its destination, but it took a little longer than anticipated.
Gratitude for Paul
Joshua, on the other hand, commended Paul for persevering through the later rounds.
Joshua remarked, “I want to give him his props—he got up time and time again.”
Even though it was challenging for him, he persisted in trying to figure something out. To do that, a real man is required.
Paul, whose lips was bloody from Joshua’s last attack, claimed to have a broken jaw but was happy with his performance.
“It was enjoyable. Paul remarked, “I gave it my all.” “I had a great time. By the way, I believe my jaw is shattered. However, Anthony is among the greatest to have ever done it. I’m going to return and win a global title.
To be honest, I simply became exhausted from carrying his weight. I believe I could have continued to fight if I had had stronger cardio. However, he strikes with great force.
Yesterday’s made-for-streaming fight had been heavily criticized across boxing, with many warning that Paul was at risk of major harm. This was just over a year after Paul had faced 58-year-old Mike Tyson in a much-maligned Netflix fight.
However, the catastrophic knockout by Joshua in the first or second round that most people had anticipated did not happen as Paul frantically tried to avoid the 2012 Olympic champion Joshua’s grasp.
For the first bout in fifteen months, Joshua appeared to be the more formidable fighter, landing 48 of the 146 punches he threw, while Paul only managed to land 16.
The Briton is now focusing on a lucrative fight against fellow countryman and former world champion Tyson Fury in the upcoming year.
Joshua remarked, “I can’t wait to roll into 2026, and we shook off the cobwebs.”
“And let’s put on some gloves and fight if Tyson Fury is as serious as he believes he is.”
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