Anthony Joshua puts Jake Paul down with sixth-round knockout
Anthony Joshua knockout Jake Paul. Photo: The Athletic.
Joshua dished out a sharp uppercut early in Round 5 to destabilize Jake.
Former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, produced a dominant display on Saturday morning, stopping YouTuber-turned-boxer, Jake Paul, with a sixth-round knockout in their heavyweight bout in Miami.
Although Paul exceeded expectations by lasting beyond the early rounds, Joshua’s superior power and experience ultimately proved decisive, according to The Athletic.
The fight turned decisively in Round 5, when Joshua landed a sharp uppercut early, forcing Paul to clinch before dropping to the canvas in search of respite.
Paul later enjoyed his best moment of the contest, catching Joshua with an overhand right as the former champion moved forward.
Joshua dropped Paul twice during a chaotic fifth round, setting the stage for the finish.
The first knockdown came late in the frame, appearing to be the result of an accumulation of punches rather than a single clean shot, with Paul taking a knee.
The referee appeared unwilling to allow further delays as Joshua continued to press.
At the two-minute mark, Paul was floored again after Joshua connected with a right hand.
Although Paul survived the round, a late combination left him visibly shaken as the bell sounded.
Joshua wasted little time in the sixth round. He opened with a right-hand-to-left-hook combination before dropping a fatigued Paul with a right hand to the top of the head.
Joshua forced his opponent onto the ropes and unleashed a barrage of punches, backing Paul into a corner.
A brutal right hand to the chin sent Paul crashing to the canvas, where he failed to beat the referee’s count.
The victory marked Joshua’s return after a 15-month layoff, his first bout since being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in an IBF heavyweight title fight in September 2024.
Despite the emphatic finish, Joshua expressed disappointment with his overall performance.
“It wasn’t the best performance — it wasn’t the best,” Joshua admitted.
“The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That has been the request leading up [to the fight], and that’s what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination.
“I said I’m going to take his soul, and I said I’m going to see it leaving his body round after round. When the time comes, some people are just there to get knocked out,” he added.
In his post-fight interview, Joshua issued a direct challenge to fellow former heavyweight champion,Tyson Fury, reigniting speculation over a long-awaited blockbuster bout.
“If Tyson Fury’s as serious as he thinks he is and he wants to stop talking on Twitter and put on some gloves and fight one of the realest fighters out there — step in the ring with me next.
“Don’t do all that talking. Let’s see you talk with your fists,” he said.
Despite the defeat, Paul said he remained upbeat and confirmed his intention to continue boxing, revealing that he suffered a broken jaw in the bout and was later taken to hospital.
“I think my jaw is broken. That was a nice little ass-whopping from one of the best to ever do it. I love this, and I’m going to come back and get a world championship belt at some point.
“I’m going to take a little break. I’ve been going hard for six years, so I’m going to take some time off,” he said.
The loss marked the second defeat of Paul’s professional career. The American, who is ranked No. 14 at cruiserweight by the WBA, has recorded notable victories over former world champions.
He defeated a 58-year-old Mike Tyson in November 2024 on Netflix’s boxing debut and most recently outpointed Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. in June.
