Anthony Joshua needed a lot more time than most expected but the result was still the same after he blasted Jake Paul with a vicious right hand in the sixth round to score a knockout victory in their heavyweight main event.
The majority of the fight saw Joshua chasing Paul around the ring and trying to deliver punches with the Ohio native resigned to grabbing onto the clinch and effectively diving for legs to avoid taking damage. Finally as the fight moved into the sixth round, Joshua got fed up and really started pouring on the pressure.
That’s when he unleashed a devastating right hand that snapped Paul’s head around and he fell to the canvas. To his credit, Paul didn’t go unconscious but once he got back to his feet, it was clear he was done with the referee stopping the fight at 1:31 in the sixth round.
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“It wasn’t the best performance. It wasn’t the best,” Joshua said after scoring the knockout. “It took a bit longer than expected but the right hand finally found the destination. Jake Paul, he’s done really well tonight. I want to give him his props. He got up time and time again. It was difficult in there for him but he kept on trying to find a way. It takes a real man to do that.
“Anyone who laces up their gloves, we always say we give them their respect. We have to give Jake his respect for trying and trying and trying. Well done but he came up against a real fighter tonight.”
For his part, Paul didn’t seem all that upset by the loss, although he revealed that the knockout punch broke his jaw as he found blood pooling in his mouth.
“I’m feeling good,” Paul said. “That was fun. I love this sport. I gave it my all. It’s f*cking crazy. I had a blast. I got my ass beat but that’s what this sport’s about. I’m going to come back and keep on winning.
“I think my jaw is broken. It’s definitely broke. That was good. A nice little ass whooping from one of the best to ever do it.”
The fight didn’t exactly play out like a barnburner with the Miami crowd growing restless at moments with Paul largely on his bike and Joshua in hot pursuit.
A very slow start gave way to the second round when Joshua got busier as he pursued Paul and threw a wild haymaker that didn’t land but the crowd definitely reacted. Whenever Joshua would load up on his punches, Paul worked into the clinch, which forced the referee to separate the fighters.
Paul’s game plan seemed to revolve around circling away and refusing to engage as Joshua just kept stalking forward, hoping to set up a knockout punch.
As time passed, Paul did manage to connect with a couple of straight punches but he continuously grabbed onto the body and almost dove for a takedown, which eventually led to a warning from the referee.
With the fight moving into the fifth round, Joshua clipped Paul with a solid uppercut but the social influencer ate the punch. Unfortunately, Paul was fading and Joshua continued to hammer away at him, eventually scoring back-to-back knockdowns with “The Problem Child” effectively taking a knee to weather the storm.
A right hand from Joshua opened the sixth round as Paul dropped to the canvas again as exhaustion washed over him. Smelling blood in the water, Joshua went after Paul before trapping him in the corner when he threw the knockout blow.
The right hand landed with devastating impact as Paul’s head whipped around in a violent motion before he fell to the canvas. That was the beginning of the end with the fight being stopped just a few moments later.
The knockout serves as Paul’s second professional loss after previously falling to Tommy Fury but he promised his next move is returning to cruiserweight after some much needed time off.
“We’re going to heal the broken jaw,” Paul said about what’s next for him. “Come back and fight people my weight. I’m going to take a little break. I’m going to take some time off.”
As for Joshua, he immediately turned his attention to a fight he’s been chasing almost as long as he’s been wearing boxing gloves.
“If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is and he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves and come and fight one of the realest fighters out there that will take on any challenges, step in the ring with me next if you’re a real bad boy,” Joshua shouted. “Don’t do all that talking ‘AJ this, AJ that.’ Let’s see you in the ring and talk with your fists.”