After months of buildup, skepticism and global attention, Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul via sixth-round knockout at the Kaseya Center in Miami, dropping the YouTuber-turned-boxer four times before finally forcing the stoppage.
It was not the flawless demolition many expected, but it was decisive in the end. Joshua, fighting for the first time since his devastating loss to Daniel Dubois, declaring bigger ambitions lie ahead in 2026.
Joshua entered the arena first, composed and focused, knowing scrutiny was intense after his long absence.
Moments later, Jake Paul followed — vowing to deliver “the biggest upset in boxing history.” The 28-year-old wore attire dedicated to the late Hulk Hogan, flanked by American rapper 6ix9ine, adding trademark theatre to the occasion.
The bout was scheduled for eight three-minute rounds in the heavyweight division.
Round-by-Round: How the Fight Unfolded
Round One
Joshua immediately pressed forward, probing with his jab as Paul stayed mobile and cautious. Both exchanged briefly near the ropes before the round ended without major damage.
Round Two
AJ hunted the early knockout, backing Paul toward the ropes. Paul survived, smiled defiantly, and remarkably lasted longer than Francis Ngannou had against Joshua.
Round Three
Frustration crept in for Joshua as Paul continued to evade. Statistically, Paul landed just three punches to Joshua’s six by the end of the round.
Round Four
Drama erupted. Paul slipped multiple times, was rocked by an uppercut, and hit the canvas amid controversy. After a low-blow incident involving Joshua’s knee, the referee intervened and sternly warned both fighters, saying:
“The fans did not pay to see this.”
Round Five
The fight stunned observers by reaching a fifth round, with unofficial cards even suggesting Paul was ahead.
Joshua finally dropped Paul with a right hand, but the American kept rising, unloading a right of his own before the bell.
Round Six – The End
Joshua wasted no time. A third knockdown came quickly, followed by a crushing uppercut and then a brutal straight right hand that flattened Paul for good.
KO. Fight over.
Official Result
Anthony Joshua def. Jake Paul via KO (Round 6)
Stats That Told the Story
Despite Paul’s bravery, the numbers exposed the gap:
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Jake Paul
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Punches thrown: 56
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Punches landed: 16
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Accuracy: 29%
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Knockdowns suffered: 4
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Anthony Joshua
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Punches thrown: 146
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Punches landed: 48
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Accuracy: 33%
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Paul was later rushed to hospital with a double broken jaw following the knockout.
Jake Paul Suffers Broken Jaw
Speaking after the bout, Paul remained upbeat:
“I’m feeling good, that was fun, I gave it my all, I had a blast.”
“Anthony’s a great fighter, and I got my a** beat, but that’s what this sport is all about, and I’m going to keep on coming back and keep on winning.”
“I’ve already won every single day in life… I think my jaw is broken.”
Paul later posted a video on Instagram showing his injuries, with his jaw visibly displaced. Despite the damage, he confirmed his intention to return, with ambitions of a cruiserweight world title after recovery.
Jake Paul Faces 60-Day Ban
The fight was sanctioned by the Florida Athletic Commission (FAC), whose rules mandate:
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A minimum 60-day suspension for any boxer knocked out
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Potential extension if the knockout is deemed severe
Paul will therefore be sidelined and possibly longer.
Anthony Joshua Gets the Job Done in Miami
After four knockdowns, controversy, grit and a brutal finish, Anthony Joshua overcame a stubborn Jake Paul in Miami, sealing a sixth-round knockout and immediately turning his focus toward a long-awaited all-British blockbuster with Tyson Fury.
Following his victory, Joshua was openly critical of his own showing. Speaking immediately after the fight, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion said:
“First of all, I wanna give love to the crowd.
It wasn’t the best performance. The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down, hurt him that has been the request leading up.”
It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its destination.”
Joshua also praised Paul’s resolve before firing a warning shot toward Tyson Fury:
“Jake Paul has done really well tonight. I wanna give him his props, it takes a real man to do that.”
“He came up against a real fighter tonight, who’s had a 15-month lay-off.”
“I needed to give this guy a systematic breakdown, I said I’m going to see his soul leave his body round after round.”
“I said it, and that’s exactly what happened.”
On Fury, Joshua was blunt:
“Let’s see you in the ring and talk with our fists.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn later confirmed that Joshua vs Fury is now the priority.
Joshua Accepts Criticism: “I Deserve It”
In a candid interview with talkSPORT, Joshua acknowledged fans’ concerns:
“I deserve it [criticism].”
“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.”
‘Falling Back in Love with Boxing’ – Anthony Joshua
Joshua also revealed the fight was deeply personal following his 15-month lay-off:
“It was a test for me to see if I want to continue or not.”
“This was a good eye opener for me.”
He added:
“I was trying to fall back in love with boxing.”
“My wife wasn’t happy, so I had to look at the decisions I was making. Make necessary changes to get my love back from the sport.”
“For me, this fight was a perfect plan, and I don’t want to lose my focus now.”
Joshua confirmed clarity on his future will come in the next few weeks, with Eddie Hearn already in discussions with Turki Alalshikh over his next mega-fight.
Joshua Calls Out Fury: “Put on Some Gloves”
Reports suggest Joshua vs Tyson Fury is close to being finalized for next summer — and Joshua made his intentions crystal clear:
“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 challenge, step into the ring with me next if you’re a real bad boy.”
“Don’t do all that talking, ‘AJ this, AJ that’. Let’s see you in the ring and talk with your fists.”
Read More: Anthony Joshua Hints at Potential Fight with Jake Paul
Read More: Anthony Joshua Returns to the Ring; Gears to Fight Tyson Fury
Read More: “I Take the Blame”- Amir Khan Ends Anthony Joshua Feud, Calls 2017 Affair Claim “Sad Mistake”
Full Undercard Results
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Anthony Joshua def. Jake Paul – KO (Round 6)
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Alycia Baumgardner def. Leila Beaudoin – Unanimous decision (retained unified super-featherweight titles)
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Anderson Silva def. Tyron Woodley – KO (Round 2)
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Jahmal Harvey def. Kevin Cervantes – Unanimous decision
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Cherneka Johnson def. Amanda Galle – Unanimous decision (retained undisputed bantamweight title)
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Caroline Dubois def. Camilla Panatta – Unanimous decision (retained WBC lightweight title)
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Yokasta Valle def. Yadira Bustillos – Majority decision (retained WBC strawweight title)
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Avious Griffin def. Justin Cardona – KO (Round 1)
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Keno Marley def. Diarra Davis Jr – Unanimous decision
