Anthony Joshua stopped boxing novice Jake Paul in the sixth round in Miami. The fight stood among the widest mismatches modern boxing has produced. Paul spent most rounds retreating and refusing exchanges. He relied on movement and delay rather than offense. Joshua showed clear frustration as the pattern continued.
The former two-time world champion finally imposed himself in the fifth round. Joshua cut off the ring and dropped Paul twice. The pressure exposed the gulf in class and experience.
Paul went down again early in the sixth round. Seconds later, Joshua landed a clean and powerful right hand. The punch ended a bizarre spectacle at the Kaseya Center. Paul failed to rise before the count expired.
A sense of relief spread through the arena when Paul stood unaided. He exited the ring without medical assistance.
“It wasn’t my sharpest performance,” Joshua said afterward. “I wanted to corner Jake Paul and hurt him.” He admitted the ending came later than planned. “The right hand eventually landed perfectly,” he added.
The outcome followed near-universal expectations. The bout revived debate about fighter safety. Size, power, and experience separated the two men completely.
Joshua recorded the 29th win of his career from 33 fights. He now looks toward more credible opposition. A long-awaited meeting with Tyson Fury remains the main objective.
“Fight a real fighter,” Joshua said afterward. “Step in with me if you truly believe in yourself.”
Paul failed to deliver the shock result he promised. Pre-fight confidence vanished under pressure.
The 28-year-old hit the canvas repeatedly and clutched Joshua’s legs. The two-stone weight difference proved overwhelming.
Paul landed a few clean punches. The fight lasting into the sixth round reflected poorly on Joshua’s precision.
Joshua stalks patiently as Paul runs out of answers
Joshua entered the ring first and received a mixed response. His stern expression showed full focus. He treated the contest seriously throughout fight week.
Paul’s ringwalk created attention for different reasons. Rapper 6ix9ine accompanied him to the ring. The pairing caused murmurs among spectators.
Once the bell sounded, Paul circled constantly on the outside. Boos followed almost immediately. Joshua advanced and threw heavy shots. Many punches missed narrowly. Each miss triggered gasps from the crowd.
Paul responded with theatrics and gestures. He stuck out his tongue and played to the cameras. Every surviving minute felt like success.
Only 13 months earlier, Paul had faced 58-year-old Mike Tyson. That context shaped expectations all night.
Paul landed a wide right hand in the fourth round. The punch failed to trouble Joshua. He continued marching forward without pause.
More than 300 million Netflix subscribers watched the event live. Celebrities filled the front rows. Rory McIlroy attended after his Sports Personality of the Year triumph. Rick Ross and Timbaland also watched ringside.
The fifth round delivered the turning point. A right hook clipped Paul and sent him down. A quick combination dropped him again. Paul rose slowly and breathed heavily. He masked the damage with bravado.
Another heavy right in the sixth round sent Paul crashing down again. Sections of the crowd urged the referee to intervene.
Many recalled Joshua’s knockout of Francis Ngannou last year. A similar ending felt inevitable. It arrived with less violence. The straight right finally landed flush.
Joshua targets Fury as Paul sells belief
This contest never aimed to test Joshua’s elite skills. Promoters designed it for spectacle and profit. Entertainment drove every element.
“I don’t care about legacy,” Joshua said. “Legacy fades with time.” He framed the bout as professional work. “I’ll keep doing this while I can,” he added.
Joshua leaves Miami with a reported £210m purse share. His team expects another warm-up fight in February. Attention then shifts toward a possible Fury clash in 2026.
Paul accepted defeat without excuses. “I got beat up,” he said afterward. He still spoke confidently about returning.
“I think my jaw is broken,” Paul said. “But I’ll be back.” He promised to chase a cruiserweight world title.
Love him or loathe him, Paul commands attention. Few fighters generate comparable discussion. His promotional skill sold belief. Inside the ring, his limitations stood exposed.
