Former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua delivered a decisive, if protracted, knockout victory over social media star Jake Paul in Miami, ending their much-hyped contest in the sixth round. The fight, a late replacement booking for Joshua, proved to be a stark mismatch, with the Brit earning a reported £70 million for his night's work.
A Lucrative Replacement and a Predictable Outcome
Joshua entered the fray as a substitute for Gervonta Davis, who was removed from the scheduled fight last month following serious allegations. Stepping into the spotlight, Joshua appeared throughout fight week as a man who had landed an astonishing financial windfall. His pre-fight rhetoric, including a threat to kill Paul, underscored the vast gulf in professional pedigree between the two men, making a swift conclusion the best hope for boxing purists.
The tone was set from the moment both fighters approached the ring. Joshua's walk was businesslike and swift, devoid of his usual spectacle. In contrast, Paul clowned his way to the squared circle, a prelude to his evasive tactics once the bell rang. The YouTuber spent the opening rounds primarily on the move, circling and holding to frustrate Joshua, which drew jeers from the Miami crowd within the first minute.
The Long Road to the Knockdowns
For the first half of the fight, Paul's strategy of avoidance and occasional wrestling limited clean exchanges. Joshua struggled to find his range against the retreating target, though he landed a telling jab in the second round. Paul glanced at an unofficial scorecard at the start of the fourth, saw he was behind, and briefly connected with a one-two combination. However, the fight descended into farce as Paul began hitting the canvas repeatedly, claiming low blows that replays did not support, earning a warning from the referee.
The decisive shift came in the fifth round. Joshua finally connected with a clean right hand at the round's start. Though Paul landed a shot of his own, Joshua began to corner him. Smiling at his opponent, Joshua forced the first official knockdown. Another punch landed, resulting in a second knockdown, but Paul managed to survive the round.
The Finale and Undercard Action
The end came in the sixth round. Joshua, now fully dialled in, caught up with the fatiguing Paul and unleashed a series of powerful shots that sent the YouTuber to the canvas for the final time, prompting the referee to wave off the contest.
On the undercard, Alycia Baumgardner retained her three super-featherweight world titles with a methodical points win over Leila Beaudoin. In a battle of UFC legends, Anderson Silva stopped Tyron Woodley in the second round after a slow start. Meanwhile, London's Caroline Dubois successfully defended her lightweight world title, dropping Camilla Pannata on her way to a unanimous decision victory.
