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Anthony Joshua knocks out Jake Paul after dropping YouTuber multiple times in controversial boxing match
Anthony Joshua stopped Jake Paul in their boxing match on Friday, knocking down the YouTuber multiple times en route to a sixth-round win.
Joshua, a former two-time world heavyweight champion, faced Paul in a professional heavyweight contest in Miami, meaning knockouts were allowed – despite many fans questioning the legitimacy of the fight.
• Follow live: Joshua vs Paul fallout after Briton stops YouTuber in six rounds
But there was no debate about the legitimacy come round six, as Joshua scored a fourth and final knockdown, sending an exhausted Paul to his knees in the corner of the ring.
Paul, 28, had beaten the referee’s count on three previous occasions but could not this time, as he was counted out and beaten for the second time in his pro career. Meanwhile, Joshua bounced back from his stoppage defeat by Daniel Dubois in 2024 by securing victory in the Kaseya Center.
Still, it took the 36-year-old some time to produce a knockdown or any meaningful offence at all. Paul spent much of the early rounds skipping away from the Briton in a larger-than-usual ring, with “AJ” struggling to pin down the American.
Boos rained down as the fight progressed, with Paul repeatedly diving at Joshua’s legs, perhaps in a bid to avoid damage and buy time. Yet when Joshua did trap Paul against the ropes, he would often overshoot with right hands, failing to locate the head of the shorter, evasive man.
Paul even taunted Joshua by sticking out his tongue at the former world champion, and the YouTuber even produced noteworthy moments with occasional jabs and hooks landing on AJ.
Before the fight, the fourth round was marked out by many fans and pundits as pivotal; if Joshua could not stop Paul before the end of that frame, he would have failed, many said. At this point, statistics showed how little each man had thrown and also how little they had landed.
Paul was warned by the referee for his repeated attempts to grab Joshua’s legs, as the American tried to drag Joshua down with him more than once. At one point, Paul alleged he had been the victim of a low blow and was given time to recover, with the 28-year-old taking about a minute of it – having actually hit his groin on Joshua’s knee while stumbling to the canvas.
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“The fans did not pay to see this crap,” the referee warned both fighters, but the fans soon got what they did pay to see.
An uppercut hurt Paul in the fifth round, as Joshua landed his best shot of the fight, leading the YouTuber to collapse to his knees to buy time yet again. Still no knockdown was ruled, but in the ensuing moments, Paul was visibly tired and less mobile than before. Joshua punished him with body shots, and Paul appeared to tweak his leg while retreating.
Joshua hurt Paul again and was finally awarded a knockdown, before scoring a second by spearing a right cross onto the chin of Paul, who just survived to the bell.
Joshua floored a cornered Paul with a piston right cross in the sixth frame, and Paul, to his credit, managed to keep fighting. He even taunted Joshua again, sticking out his tongue at AJ, who continued to stalk the influencer before crumpling him in the corner for a fourth knockdown.
This time, Paul was unable to rise in time, marking the end of the controversial fight and sending the fans into raptures.
“I appreciate everyone in this venue,” Joshua said after the fight. “It wasn’t the best performance. The end goal was to get him, pin him down and hurt him. That’s what people wanted, that was on my mind. It took longer than expected.
“Now, Jake Paul has done really well tonight. He got up, time and time again. It was difficult for me in there. We give them their respect, he tried and tried, but he came up against a real fighter in there.
“I saw Eddie [Hearn, promoter] saying: ‘Get him now!’ I said I’d take his soul, see it leaving his body round after round. I said it, and it happened. I understand the psychology of fighting.”
Joshua also addressed critics of his decision to take this fight, saying: “I don’t care about legacy, it lasts about 50 years, then it’s done. This is what I decided to do. I will do it until I can’t no more. All we can do is give my best.”
He also addressed compatriot Tyson Fury, with whom he has long been linked, saying: “If Tyson is as serious as he says he is, if he wants to put on some gloves, take a challenge… Don’t give all that talking, ‘AJ this, AJ that.’ Let’s see you talk with your fists.”
Paul added: “That was crazy, I had a blast, I’m blessed by God to put on a performance like this. Anthony is a great fighter, I got my arse beat. But I’ll come back and keep winning.
“I’ve already won in every single way in life, my family, my beautiful fiancee… My jaw is broken by the way, it’s definitely broke, nice little arse-whooping from one of the best to ever do it.”
Paul, who spat out blood during his in-ring interview, continued: “Honestly, I’m not surprised; I just got tired, so much handling his weight. I think with better cardio, I could’ve kept fighting. I did my personal best. For sure, we’ll heal the broken jaw, go back, fight people my own weight and go for the cruiserweight world title.”
Friday’s fight took place 13 months after Paul outpointed a 58-year-old Mike Tyson, a legend of heavyweight boxing, and six months after he beat former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on points.
Previously, Paul had only been beaten by Tommy Fury – half-brother of Tyson – who beat the YouTuber via decision in 2023.
