In a high-profile heavyweight showdown at Miami’s Kaseya Center on Friday, former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua scored a sixth-round knockout over the favored YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The bout, streamed to Netflix’s roughly 300 million subscribers, had been originally scheduled as an eight-round heavyweight contest between Paul and Gervonta “Tank” Davis. Nevertheless, the fight was canceled following a civil lawsuit against Davis, and Joshua stepped in as a alternative.
Joshua, 36, entered the fight as a heavy favorite, bringing Olympic gold credentials and championship experience, including wins over Wladimir Klitschko, Andy Ruiz Jr., Dillian Whyte, and Alexander Povetkin. Weighing 216 kilos, Paul, 28, was clearly the smaller one as Joshua scaled in at 243 kilos. Paul was fighting at heavyweight for the second time, having previously defeated Mike Tyson, who had returned from retirement at age 58.
Through the opening rounds, Paul kept on the move, using the ring to avoid Joshua’s power. Paul attempted a defensive strategy early, connecting sporadically with jabs and right hands, while incessantly tying up or falling to the canvas to get better from Joshua’s pressure. Joshua maintained control of the ring, steadily cutting off the space and stalking Paul. Though Paul managed to survive the primary 4 rounds, Joshua was clearly ahead, landing solid jabs and clean body shots.
Round 5 forced a fatigued Paul to ward off after constant clinching and spills. He managed to land a right hand, but Joshua barely flinched and responded by dropping him twice, first with a punishing body shot, then with a 1-2 combination. He managed to survive the remainder of the round, but Round 6 wasn’t any easier for Paul, who was dropped over again by a right hand from Joshua. Paul got back to his feet, but Joshua kept the pressure on, pinning him against the ropes with a flurry of punches. Joshua backed Paul into the corner and cracked him with a right to the chin, sending him down. Paul didn’t beat the count, and referee Christopher Young stopped the fight at 1:31.
The bout drew a crowd of 19,600, including celebrities resembling Rory McIlroy, Juan Soto, Michael Irvin, and Brandon Marshall. Each fighters reportedly earned a minimum of $50 million for the competition. Each fighters are expected to make a minimum of $50 million for the fight. Joshua’s victory got here after a 15-month hiatus following a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 and positions him for potential high-profile matchups, including a long-discussed clash with Tyson Fury in 2026. For Paul, losing the fight was a setback, however it was also a milestone in his pursuit of skilled recognition.