Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua silenced critics with a dominant sixth-round knockout victory over YouTube sensation Jake Paul during Friday's high-profile boxing match in Miami. The bout, sanctioned as a professional heavyweight contest, saw Joshua drop Paul four times before securing the decisive finish.
Unconventional Tactics Fail to Save Paul
Paul, 28, employed unorthodox strategies throughout the fight, frequently diving at Joshua's legs in apparent attempts to stall. The referee repeatedly cautioned the social media star for these maneuvers, which drew boos from the crowd at Kaseya Center. Despite occasional flashes of offense—including mocking Joshua by sticking out his tongue—Paul struggled to match the Briton's power.
"The fans did not pay to see this," the referee warned both fighters during the messy exchanges.
Joshua's Methodical Breakdown
After a slow start where Joshua, 36, struggled to corner the evasive American, the Olympic gold medalist found his rhythm in the middle rounds. A crushing uppercut in the fifth round signaled the beginning of the end for Paul, who appeared increasingly fatigued. Joshua capitalized with punishing body shots before flooring his opponent three times in rapid succession.
The Final Blow
The end came in round six when Joshua trapped a defenseless Paul in the corner, delivering a series of right hands that sent the YouTuber to his knees for the fourth and final time. Though Paul attempted to rise, he failed to beat the count, marking his second professional defeat.
Post-Fight Reactions
"It wasn't the best performance, but the goal was to hurt him—and that's what people wanted," Joshua admitted post-fight. "Jake showed heart, but he came up against a real fighter tonight."
The controversial matchup—questioned by many boxing purists—ultimately delivered the explosive conclusion fans anticipated, reinforcing Joshua's return to form after his 2024 loss to Daniel Dubois.
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