Jake Paul, a former YouTuber turned entrepreneur, ventured into professional boxing, earning him the moniker "fake Paul" from many in the boxing world. Skepticism surrounded his fight with Joshua, streamed on Netflix, with many believing it was a staged event. They found it hard to believe a 28-year-old would dare step into the ring with a "superhuman" like the British fighter in a real, dangerous contest.

However, Paul did step up. At Kaseya Center, he endured a barrage of heavy punches from the 36-year-old icon and was ultimately knocked out, as many had predicted. Joshua, with a record of 29-4 and 26 knockouts, ended the fight with a powerful right hand in round 6.

Anthony Joshua attacks YouTuber Jake Paul during their fight in Miami, US, on 20/12/2025.

Before 20/12, Joshua, a former WBO, WBA, and IBF champion, had not fought since his round 5 knockout loss to fellow heavyweight Daniel Dubois in September 2024. That fourth career defeat raised questions about his chin, stamina, and ability to compete at the heavyweight elite level. The fight with Paul did not answer these questions, but Joshua was clear about his motivation for returning.

He took this fight to boost his profile and his earnings, with a prize fund reaching 185 million USD, aiming to reach a new audience. This audience was largely unfamiliar with the Olympic gold medalist Joshua or the fighter who lost all his belts to Andy Ruiz Jr. during his last trip to the US. In 2019, Ruiz shocked the world with a technical knockout victory in round 7, ending Joshua's undefeated streak and unifying the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight titles.

Prior to the Paul fight, Joshua called the loss to Ruiz a tragedy, but time had healed the wound. He now sees it as part of his journey to becoming a two-time world champion and, ultimately, "the face of Netflix".

The professional boxing community once scoffed at Joshua's goal, believing it would tarnish his decorated career. Yet, for the Watford-born fighter, this was an important step to re-establish his position as one of boxing's biggest names, a prospect that seemed distant last year.

Joshua (left) completely dominated Paul. *Photo: Sky Sport*

Despite the promotional theatrics reminiscent of WWE and the fight's somewhat farcical nature, the atmosphere at the arena was electric, especially after the US national anthem. Joshua entered the ring first with a stoic demeanor, skipping the usual elaborate procedures and dazzling fireworks that had accompanied him in the past. He waited for Paul, who made his entrance with a large entourage.

The early rounds unfolded like a cat-and-mouse game. Paul used the ring space to keep as much distance as possible from Joshua. At one point, the fighter who debuted in 2018 moved so quickly he tripped. However, Paul landed the first punch and did well to evade blows early on.

As the fight progressed, Paul's legs grew heavy, and he struggled to maintain balance. After each clinch, he fell to the canvas, appearing exhausted. In round 4, a fall saw Paul pinned by Joshua, with the British fighter's knee pressing into his smaller opponent's stomach. By round 5, Joshua's superior weight and power began to tell with forceful straight punches.

Though Paul continued to challenge by sticking out his tongue, the impact of Joshua's blows was undeniable. Shortly after round 6 began, Paul, with a record of 12-2, collapsed to the canvas for the final time. The referee stopped the fight, recognizing that the Ohio-born fighter was unable to continue.

"My jaw is definitely broken", Paul said immediately after the fight. He left the contest with respect from the boxing community, as few expected him to last until round 5 while taking continuous punches from Joshua. The 28-year-old fighter stated he would rest before returning to the ring and dropping to light heavyweight.

Nakisa Bidarian, Paul's partner at Most Valuable Promotions, attributed the loss to "size difference, not skill". He added that after the fight, Paul showered and drove himself to the hospital, where he was confirmed to have a double jaw fracture.

Joshua admitted it was not his best performance. "Not the best", he said in the ring. "It took me longer than expected. Paul did well, he was tough, getting up again and again. You have to respect Paul for trying, but today he faced a real fighter after 15 months off".

Joshua is now looking ahead to 2026 with bigger goals, specifically a challenge to Tyson Fury: "If Fury is serious, stop talking and come talk with your fists". There are rumors Joshua will fight in Arab Saudi next February, hoping to set up a mega-fight with Fury.

Hoang Thong compiled