Jake Paul likes to talk trash. He’s also quite ambitious. But he found out soon enough that there are levels to high-level boxing after getting knocked out by former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) was originally scheduled to fight lightweight titleholder Gervonta “Tank” Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs), who was a foot smaller and several pounds lighter. But with Davis unable to fight due to legal issues, Paul scrambled to find a replacement and picked Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs), who, in contrast, was a foot taller and much heavier than Tank.
A Yawner of a Fight—Until Anthony Joshua Got Going
Ranged against a bigger man, Paul appeared to default into survival mode from the opening bell, circling away from Anthony Joshua and refusing to engage at all. Paul’s constant movement and refusal to initiate action naturally frustrated fans, who grew more restless as each round passed without much action.
But by the fifth round, Paul was starting to look gassed, while Joshua was starting to find a rhythm. The former Olympian began pressing the YouTuber-turned-boxer, who tried fighting back but could not faze the bigger Joshua. The former heavyweight champion started landing big shots and eventually scored a pair of knockdowns—one after a shot to Paul’s body and another after a stiff 1-2 combo.
That fifth round was an omen of things to come for Paul, as Anthony Joshua went for the kill in the sixth round, ultimately cornering the trash-talking American before landing a short right hand that put the latter down. Paul tried to get up but looked wobbled, leaving the referee with no choice but to stop the fight at the 1:31 mark of the sixth round.
Anthony Joshua Gives Jake Paul Credit, Calls Out Tyson Fury
After the fight, Joshua admitted his bout with Paul “wasn’t the best,” even as he gave credit to the former YouTube sensation.
“It wasn’t the best,” Joshua conceded post-fight. “It took a bit longer than expected. Jake Paul did well tonight; he got up time and again. You have to give him respect for trying, but he came up against a real fighter tonight who’s had a 15-month layoff. I can’t wait for 2026. If Tyson Fury is serious, stop talking and come and talk with your fists.”
An Anthony Joshua–Tyson Fury fight has long been rumored but has never materialized. With Joshua’s latest win and Fury coming off a long layoff disguised as retirement, the time might be right to finally make that fight.
