US President Donald Trump has revealed his thoughts on Jake Paul’s knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.
After promising to cause the biggest upset in the history of boxing, influencer Paul failed to impress fans during his fight with two-time heavyweight champion Joshua.
Paul spent much of the early rounds refusing to engage with Joshua but eventually was forced to in the sixth round, where he was knocked up after failing to make the referee’s count.
After the fight, many have criticised the influencer’s performance, feeling that he had intentionally misled fans, with referee Christopher Young even telling Paul to be more active mid-fight.
And now, American President Trump has spoken out to have his say on Paul’s performance in the fight.
While fans have criticised Paul’s performance, co-founder of Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, Nakisa Bidarian, argued that the YouTuber had only lost because of the size difference, not because of the skill difference.
After watching the fight, it appears that Trump’s opinion is more in line with Bidarian, as the US president praised Paul for the heart he showed in the fight and his ability to stay in the fight for so long.
Posting on Truth social, Trump wrote: “I just got to watch the Jake Paul Fight, and he did really well, especially as a display of GREAT Courage against a very talented and large Anthony Joshua.
“Fantastic Entertainment, but Kudos to Jake for his Stamina, and frankly, Ability, against a much bigger man!”
Paul is five inches shorter than Joshua and went into the fight nearly two stone lighter than the former heavyweight champion.
The loss has left Paul with a brutal injury as he revealed he has broken his jaw in two places and, after a successful surgery, will have to eat food from a straw for seven days.
And Trump wasn’t the only big name offering respect to Paul for his performance as, despite critcising the influencer ahead of the fight, former UFC champion Conor McGregor also praised Paul.
Posting on Instagram after the fight, McGregor wrote: ““Fair play! Well done.”
Jake Paul Isn’t Banned: Understanding Post-Fight Boxing Suspensions
After Jake Paul’s KO loss to Anthony Joshua, false claims that he had been ‘banned’ from boxing circulated. In reality, this is standard procedure in the sport, and every fighter faces similar post-fight medical suspensions.
Why Post-Fight Suspensions Exist
As explains, boxing commissions impose mandatory medical suspensions after every bout to protect fighters’ health. These suspensions give the body time to recover from injuries, bruising, or concussions before returning to the ring.
The length of a suspension depends on the outcome of the fight:
TKO or technical stoppage: 30 days Knockout (KO): 60 days
Because Jake Paul was knocked out in the fight, he received the standard 60-day suspension — the same medical protocol any professional boxer would face after a KO.
This is not a punishment, nor a ban from the sport; it is simply a safety measure required by the commission.
Every Boxer Faces This Rule
Whether it’s Anthony Joshua, Terence Crawford, or an up-and-coming prospect, all fighters are subject to the same regulations.
Commissions around the world prioritize fighter safety, and post-fight suspensions are a routine part of boxing governance.
Why Headlines Can Be Misleading
After high-profile fights, clickbait headlines often exaggerate standard procedures. Words like “banned” or “suspended” can create unnecessary panic or confusion among fans. However, the explanation is far more mundane: medical suspensions are regular and protect fighters’ long-term health.
What This Means for Jake Paul
Jake Paul will be eligible to fight again after serving his 60-day suspension, just like any other boxer in his situation. Following a double jaw break, he is expected to be sidelined for an extended period.
No special treatment or restriction has been applied beyond what the commission mandates for safety reasons.
Understanding these rules is crucial for fans navigating post-fight news. What might appear as a ban is simply the sport enforcing universal medical safety standards.
Floyd Mayweather retired undefeated and wealthier than any boxer in history. Even so, he has since acknowledged that he stayed active longer than necessary.
For many fighters, knowing when to walk away is the hardest decision in boxing. For Mayweather, the line between competitive ambition and commercial opportunity blurred — and he chose to keep going and delay retirement.
When the Money Never Stops Calling
By the time Mayweather faced Conor McGregor in 2017, the boxing icon’s legacy was already secure. He had proven his greatness at 50-0 across multiple divisions, dominated an era, and rewritten boxing’s financial ceiling.
Following that, Mayweather continued fighting beyond his competitive peak.
Exhibition bouts, overseas appearances, and carefully managed events extended his career beyond its competitive peak. The risk was controlled, but the motivation shifted from legacy to opportunity.
Mayweather has since acknowledged that walking away earlier would have benefited his body, even if it meant leaving money behind.
The Cost of Staying Too Long
Unlike fighters who linger in pursuit of relevance or redemption, Mayweather stayed because the business model continued to reward him.
That distinction matters.
But extended careers — even controlled ones — come with a cost. The clarity of a fighter’s exit fades. The final image becomes less definitive. The conversation shifts from achievement to endurance.
Greatness is not erased; the ending simply becomes less clean.
Legacy Versus Longevity
Boxing history is filled with champions who struggled to let go. Some stayed chasing validation. Others stayed chasing closure.
Mayweather stayed because opportunity never stopped presenting itself.
He did not suffer a competitive decline. He did not tarnish his record. But the longer he remained active, the further his career drifted from the moment when walking away would have felt complete.
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Why Timing Shapes the Story
How a fighter exits often defines how a career is discussed in hindsight.
A clean departure brings resolution. A prolonged one invites reassessment.
Mayweather remains one of the greatest defensive fighters boxing has produced. Yet his extended post-prime years shifted attention from competitive excellence to financial spectacle — a trade-off that now forms part of his legacy.
There could also be one more stage to come in the form of a Manny Pacquiao rematch, for which WBN reported exclusive details.
The Lesson Modern Fighters Are Watching
Today’s elite fighters are increasingly aware of how exits are judged. The conversation has evolved.
Walking away at the right moment is no longer viewed as quitting, but as control.
Mayweather proved that a fighter can earn everything imaginable. His later reflections suggest that even unlimited success does not remove the importance of timing
First things first: you’re allowed to be disappointed, angry, or even jealous.
Such feelings are always valid when professionals are paid so handsomely for turning in the kind of work performance that would have others fearing for their jobs. That’s what happened on Friday night in Miami. And yes, Anthony Joshua underperformed by his own admission, but if you’re expending the majority of your energy on him, I’m afraid you got his fight with Jake Paul completely wrong.
The craving was intense for Joshua, a former two-time world heavyweight champion, to make Paul a meme by leaving him staring up at the lights in the Kaseya Center. Many wanted to see that happen inside 30 seconds. Many said that “AJ” going four or more rounds with this YouTuber-turned-boxer would ruin his legacy. Hell, many said this fight would be rigged – a claim easily disproved but spouted repeatedly regardless.
Truthfully, many of these desires and predictions betrayed a fundamental lack of understanding of boxing, and that is not meant condescendingly. There was always going to be a lot of “I told you so” on Saturday, regardless of what happened between Joshua and Paul. If Joshua, 36, had erased his opponent in 30 seconds, it would have been “I told you so”; if Paul, 28, had survived the full eight rounds, it would have been “I told you so”.
And there’s a temptation to claim an “I told you so” of our own, having suggested that fans wouldn’t get their desired, internet-breaking image of a pulverised Paul; rather, Joshua breaking down the American and forcing a stoppage always felt likelier to us. That is what happened in the end. However, anyone who told you pre-fight that they truly knew what was going to happen was lying to you. They didn’t.
For example, even those who felt Joshua might take several rounds to get rid of Paul were largely taking this stance because they thought the Briton – after 15 months out of the ring, following a brutal loss – might just want to take his time and enjoy being in the ring, under the brightest lights once again.
Not many predicted that the fight would have gone so long because of a very specific tactic by Paul; that is the crux here.
In fact, some pundits felt that Joshua might struggle to pin down Paul, believing that the YouTuber’s shorter stature would prove awkward for AJ, and that Paul would be on the move for the majority of the bout. Both of these predictions were proven true, having already been vindicated by the revelation that Paul had obtained a larger-than-usual ring.
But no one specifically predicted that a key part of Paul’s survival plan would be to dive at Joshua’s legs time and time again, seemingly in a bid to buy time and avoid damage.
This might seem a shallow observation on which to pin this article, but really, one particular recap video highlighted in just 90 seconds how flagrant Paul was with this tactic – if one can call it that, and it seemed deliberate enough to validate the word. Paul landed a reported 16 punches in the fight, and he seemed to dive at Joshua’s legs almost as many times.
In any other contest, a referee would surely be much more tempted to dock the fighter a point or even wave off the action, due to the boxer’s lack of desire to engage.
For what it is worth, it still feels there is a duty to give Paul some credit. You might not like that, but the fact that Paul landed 16 punches should hoist your shoulders into an accepting shrug. It is also honourable that he climbed off the canvas three times after separate knockdowns – apparently with a broken jaw – before succumbing to a fourth in round six. He was in with Anthony Joshua, for goodness’s sake.
The issue is, where one might want to give Paul credit for simply sharing the ring with Joshua in the first place, much of this credit was erased – in the way that many fans wish Paul had been. That’s courtesy of his approach to the fight. Let’s be clear: most viewers would likely have found themselves clinging to Joshua’s legs, seeking an escape, in the way Paul did. But the viewers were the ones buying the fight (or at least signing into Netflix), not selling it.
And once again, Paul sold something that did not come to pass. The problem here is that, while we can and should criticise him for this, viewers must also take responsibility.
How many swore never to watch Paul box again, after he went eight two-minute rounds in an action-light fight with a 58-year-old Mike Tyson 13 months ago? How many of those viewers tuned in on Friday, regardless?
Furthermore, how many will tune in for one of his future fights, once he picks the right opponent? You may tell yourself you won’t, and it’s not fair of us to tell you that your word is not worth the cost of a month’s Netflix subscription, but make no mistake: Joshua did not kill off Paul in the boxing ecosystem; the YouTuber will be back.
These pages have been more accepting and forgiving of Paul’s boxing venture than many others. He has brought countless eyeballs to the sport, and he has weaponised people’s loathing in a way that demands at least some credit, whether you can bring yourself to respect him or not. This has always been at the heart of Paul’s boxing journey: he has made his money off knowing how to wind you up, so it’s not worth falling for it, yet so many people do.
In that regard, some of this disappointment in AJ may be projection. Deep down, many viewers are probably disappointed in themselves. But the anger? Yes, you are very much allowed to be angry at Jake Paul. He sold you a fight, and fight he did not.
As Joshua prepares for the final stages of his career, the two-time heavyweight champion has enlisted the services of Oleksander Usyk’s training team, with Golub the main voice in the corner.
Immediately after Joshua’s win, a long-awaited showdown with Fury became the immediate topic of conversation, but in the eyes of Golub, AJ is not ready to face the former WBC heavyweight champion just yet.
Earlier this month, various outlets were reporting that Joshua and Fury had finally signed a deal to fight in 2026, but before this particular contest takes place, the pair will participate in warm-up bouts.
The idea of warm-up fights before a contest of this magnitude is a double edged sword. In terms of the benefits, it will allow both men to get back into fighting shape, shake off ring rust and generate even more excitement ahead of the opening bell.
On the other hand, if either Fury or Joshua, or possibly both, lose their warm-up bouts, then interest in the Battle of Britain will vanish.
Following Joshua’s win over Paul, Golub spoke to The Voice of Boxing, and claimed that his charge is not ready to go up against ‘The Gypsy King’ just yet.
“We need one more fight before Fury, Fury is a very dangerous boxer,” Golub said.
“He has a lot of skills, a good intellectual fighter, he must be ready for this, not now.”
With Golub being part of the team which masterminded Usyk’s two wins over Fury last year, he knows what it will take to topple ‘The Gypsy King’.
Against Paul, Joshua did not look great. While the American ran away from the two-time heavyweight champion, Joshua looked slow, especially when it came to his footwork.
Instead of urgency and hunting for the knockout, Joshua was plodding towards Paul who was constantly on the move until he tired and got knocked out in the sixth round.
Joshua said he wasn’t satisfied with his performance, despite breaking Paul’s jaw in two places.
“No, I needed to do better,” Joshua said at the post-fight press conference.
“It’s a win but it’s not a success. I think my coach expects more from me and I expect more from myself. But what can we do? We can’t reverse the clocks. We have to move forward. I have to put that in the past now.
“After today, you might see a bit of social media, trying to lap up all of the algorithm attention but for me, it’s in the past. I can’t live off of that win. I’ve got a lot of improving that I need to do. I’m not happy.”
Joshua explained that the expectations were high in this fight because Paul was a novice boxer.
“There was a lot riding on this fight,” Joshua said.
“A lot of pressure. A lot of expectations. I had to perform. A lot of people doubt me. A lot of people don’t respect me. There’s a lot of pressure. I had boxing on my back today and that was what it was really.
“I took Jake as serious as I needed to but most importantly, I take myself as serious as I need to. I respect myself. I respect boxing. I know what it takes to get in the ring. You have to be prepared. One slip up could cost you in that ring. Credit to Jake.”
February is being rumoured as the possible date for Joshua’s next outing, and if this is being used as a warm-up before facing Fury, Joshua and his team need to pick a credible heavyweight who is a slick mover to give the Olympic gold medallist the best preparation ahead of the eagerly awaited Battle of Britain.
Anthony Joshua looks set to lose almost half of the huge payout he received for his fight against Jake Paul.
The British heavyweight reportedly earned around £70 million for the bout, but may actually keep closer to £35 million.
The 36-year-old dispatched the YouTuber-turned-boxer in the sixth round, landing a knockout blow. There has been some strong backlash to the fight, as Joshua was expected to dominate Paul a lot more than he actually did.
While the former two-time heavyweight champion earned his victory, a lot of fans still see the event as a joke that cannot be taken seriously. Both men’s pockets would strongly disagree with that assessment, as they both bagged huge paydays in Miami.
Anthony Joshua’s Pockets to Be Hit After Netflix Blockbuster
AJ may have won the Netflix-broadcast bout, but the Brit is expected to be hit harder than his American opponent. While reported purses for both men have varied slightly, the common number reported to have been split between them was $184m.
That would work out at roughly £70 million per fighter, but Joshua won’t see all of that money. Instead, he’s going to be hit by both British and American tax laws. Per a press release from AceOdds, the Englishman could lose up to £33 million in US Federal Tax, payments to HMRC and National Insurance contributions in the UK.
Data experts worked out the exact breakdown of how much he will have to hand over in tax, as the press release stated: “Assuming the £70m figure is accurate, Joshua would be lumbered with a total tax bill of £31,386,203 on his earnings from the fight.”
In short, £25,867,333 of the money would be his US tax contribution, while a further £5,618,870 and £1,401,257 would go to HMRC and national insurance payments, respectively. That would leave him with just 53% of the reported £70 million. That’s still a handsome sum of cash.
Anthony Joshua Full of ‘Respect’ For Hospital-Bound Jake Paul
Despite sending his opponent to the hospital with a severely broken jaw, Joshua was quick to send praise Paul’s way after the fight. He stated:
“It wasn’t the best performance. The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That has been the request leading up, and that’s what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination.
“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 these gloves, we always say we give them our respect. We have to give Jake his respect for trying and trying and trying. Well done.”
Heavyweight Title Mandatories On Hold As Usyk Remains Inactive
The heavyweight title picture is stuck heading into 2026.
Oleksandr Usyk still holds three of the four major belts, but he is not fighting.
With no return date set, the mandatory system across the division has slowed to a crawl. Usyk vacated the WBO title earlier this year after being ordered to defend against Fabio Wardley.
That order came after Wardley’s win over Joseph Parker. Instead of taking the fight, Usyk gave up the belt and kept the IBF, WBA, and WBC titles.
His last bout came on July 19, when he stopped IBF champion Daniel Dubois in the fifth round. Since then, there has been no official announcement regarding his next fight.
He is not expected back in the ring until sometime in 2026. That leaves the rest of the division waiting. With Usyk still holding three belts and no fight scheduled, the mandatory challengers are stalled. Rankings continue to update, but nothing moves without a defense or a vacancy.
Fighters can take non-title bouts to stay active, but that comes with risk. A loss can drop them out of position. Others choose to wait and lose time instead.
Agit Kabayel is among the contenders affected by the delay. He remains highly ranked, but there is no date and no enforcement order in place that would move him closer to a title shot.
The same uncertainty applies to other mandatory positions tied to Usyk’s remaining belts. Sanctioning bodies have tools to act, but they have been slow to use them. Stripping a unified champion is rarely done quickly, especially when the champion is coming off a recent win and citing injury.
That has left the system in limbo.
As of late December 2025, Usyk has no confirmed return date. There is also no timetable for resolving the outstanding mandatory obligations connected to his IBF, WBA, and WBC titles. For now, the belts stay put.
The challengers wait. Nothing changes until Usyk fights again or gives one up.
Canelo wanted a sequel after Crawford pulled off a historic upset in September 2025, outpointing Canelo to become a three-weight undisputed champion via a unanimous decision. Canelo, who underwent elbow surgery shortly after that loss, had made a rematch his top priority for a September 2026 return.
After Bud’s camp reportedly demanded $100 million for the rematch, Crawford stunned the sport by announcing his official retirement on December 16. With “Bud” walking away at 42-0, Canelo is left without his chance at redemption and without an opponent for his traditional Mexican Independence Day weekend slot. If Canelo wants to reclaim his undisputed status at super middleweight, he will have to fight some hungry contenders who are no longer waiting in his shadow.
Christian Mbilli: The WBC interim champion is the frontrunner. While he recently fought to a grueling draw against Lester Martinez on the Canelo-Crawford undercard, the WBC has already ordered a rematch. The winner will be the undeniable mandatory for Canelo.
Osleys Iglesias: The undefeated Cuban southpaw has become the boogeyman of the division. As the IBF’s top-rated challenger, he represents a high-risk, low-reward style that Canelo has avoided in the past.
Diego Pacheco & Hamzah Sheeraz: These two towering prospects are linked to a massive “Riyadh Season” clash in February. The victor would immediately become the most “bankable” young challenger for a September showdown.
Jose Armando Resendiz: Resendiz pulled off a massive upset in May 2025 by defeating Caleb Plant, earning him the WBA interim title and making him a viable “all-Mexican” option for Canelo.
If the 168-pound contenders don’t tempt Canelo, he could move up. Rematches with the elite at light heavyweight remain on the table, specifically a chance to avenge his 2022 loss to Dmitry Bivol (the current WBA, WBO, and IBF king) or a clash with the WBC Light Heavyweight Champion David Benavidez. With Canelo skipping his usual Cinco de Mayo date to continue his recovery, the pressure is on for Eddy Reynoso and the “Canelo Team” to find a name that justifies the wait.
And Paul came out with a game plan to stop Joshua landing his killer shot with some bizarre and scrappy tactics, although it saw him dropped four times.
In the sixth round, AJ finally landed that clean blow, a thumping right hand, which left Paul in a heap on the canvas.
But many had expected a stoppage in the opening stages, as had Joshua, who was hoping to give himself an early night.
When asked by talkSPORT if he felt criticism of his display was justified, Joshua replied: “I deserve it.
“Because we are elite fighters, if I put myself in the shoes of a coach, if my fighter did six rounds with Jake Paul…
“I would get him back in the gym tomorrow, give him a bit of a beating and get straight back to work.
“I’d be like ‘how are you letting this kid take you six rounds, are you crazy?’.
“But I can’t go back in time, but credit to him, he done well. I told him what would happen but it just took six rounds to do it.”
Joshua’s plans for 2026 and Tyson Fury message
Joshua is now expected to move into next year with a full focus on a final assault on the heavyweight division.
It has been agreed with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh that he will first fight in February.
And it is expected that will then lead to an inevitable showdown with long-term rival Tyson Fury in the summer next year.
It is a highly anticipated clash and a big year for the former two-time champion, who is willing to waste no time to pursue the ‘Gypsy King’.
He continued to talkSPORT: “Yeah I think what happens is, is that your peak fitness leaves you after 14 days.
“So I will have 7-10 days doing some recovery and then I am going to get straight back to where we left off.
“I’m not going to disrespect Fury, but I deserve the fight, the fans deserve it.
“It’s such a shame, the guy needs to grow a backbone, you win some and you lose some.
“I definitely beat him, 100 per cent.”
Eddie Hearn’s verdict
Joshua’s promoter Hearn was less focused on the performance, and was keen to brush away any criticism.
He believes ultimately it was a good night’s work with a big 2026 now in the rear view mirror.
He added to talkSPORT: “It was a frustrating two or three rounds. Jake was moving around, I was impressed with his toughness.
“We got six good rounds in the end, I think it was a positive to be honest.
“It could have been done in seconds, but he’s done an eight-week camp and now has something to work on for 2026.”
