Anthony Joshua Ends Jake Paul Experiment With Brutal Knockout

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul with a knockout in the sixth round of their controversial Netflix-backed boxing match at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday.

The much-anticipated bout, which drew global attention because of the vast gap in experience and size between the two fighters, ended with Joshua asserting his superiority in the later rounds of the scheduled eight-round contest.

While many observers had predicted an early stoppage, Paul managed to survive into the middle rounds before eventually succumbing to Joshua’s power.

Joshua, a two-time world heavyweight champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist, initially struggled to impose himself against the 28-year-old American.

The opening rounds were marked by awkward exchanges, clinching, and repeated stoppages in action, as Paul repeatedly dropped to the canvas and resorted to grappling tactics in an effort to neutralize Joshua’s reach and strength.

The contest, reportedly worth a combined purse of $184 million for the two fighters, was widely criticized for its lack of sustained action.

At one point in the fourth round, even referee Christopher Young appeared visibly frustrated, issuing a blunt warning to both men. “The fans did not pay to see this crap,” Young said during a break in the action.

As the fight wore on, Paul began to show signs of fatigue, allowing Joshua to close the distance more effectively. The British heavyweight started landing cleaner shots, gradually breaking down his opponent.

The momentum swung decisively in the fifth round when Joshua knocked Paul down twice, signaling that the end was near.

The stoppage came in the sixth round after Joshua backed Paul into a corner. He connected with a heavy left hand before following up with a powerful right to the chin, sending Paul crashing to the canvas for the knockout.

The referee waved off the fight as Paul lay unable to beat the count.

After the bout, Joshua acknowledged that the performance was not his sharpest but said the result was always his primary objective. “It wasn’t the best performance,” Joshua, 36, said. “But the end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him.

That was the request leading up, and that was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected but the right hand finally found its destination.”

Despite the criticism surrounding the matchup, Joshua also praised Paul for his resilience and willingness to continue fighting despite repeated knockdowns.

“I want to give him his props — he got up time and time again,” Joshua said. “It was difficult in there for him, but he kept on trying to find a way. It takes a real man to do that.”

Paul, whose mouth was bloodied from Joshua’s final combination, said after the fight that he believed he had suffered a broken jaw. Nevertheless, he expressed satisfaction with his effort and appeared undeterred by the defeat.

“That was fun. I gave it my all,” Paul said. “I had a blast. I think my jaw is broken by the way. But Anthony’s one of the best to ever do it so. I’m gonna come back and get a world championship.”

Paul also cited conditioning issues as a major factor in his loss, pointing to Joshua’s size and physical strength as the fight progressed. “I just got tired to be honest — like it was so much handling his weight.

I think with better cardio I could have kept it up and kept on fighting. But he hits really hard,” Paul said.

Friday’s bout followed a growing trend of made-for-streaming boxing events and came just over a year after Paul’s widely criticized Netflix fight against 58-year-old Mike Tyson.

The matchup with Joshua had already sparked concern within the boxing community, with critics questioning the safety and legitimacy of pitting a seasoned heavyweight champion against a relatively inexperienced fighter.

While the devastating early knockout many had expected did not materialize, the fight ultimately ended in a manner consistent with those concerns, as Joshua’s power and experience proved decisive once Paul’s movement and stamina faded.