Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua made a decisive return to the boxing ring, securing a sixth-round stoppage victory over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami. Joshua, demonstrating his formidable power, knocked Paul down four times throughout the bout before delivering the conclusive right-hand jab that brought the fight to an end.

Reflecting on his performance, Joshua admitted, “It wasn’t the best performance. But the end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That was the request leading up, and that was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected but the right hand finally found its destination.” The initial rounds of the fight were slow to develop, prompting referee Chris Young to intervene and encourage both fighters to engage more actively.

Joshua began to find his rhythm in the fifth round, landing clean, impactful shots that repeatedly sent Paul to his knees, either from genuine knockdowns or clear signs of fatigue. By the sixth round, Joshua had effectively backed Paul into a corner, where he then unleashed the knockout blow, igniting the Miami crowd. Despite the dominant victory, Joshua was quick to commend his opponent’s resilience, stating, “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.”

For Jake Paul, the fight proved to be a significant test of his endurance and determination. He commented afterwards, “That was fun. I gave it my all. I had a blast. I think my jaw is broken by the way. But Anthony’s one of the best to ever do it, so. I’m gonna come back and get a world championship. I just got tired, to be honest – like it was so much handling his weight. I think with better cardio, I could have kept it up and kept on fighting. But he hits really hard.” Following the knockout, Paul will face a 60-day suspension under Florida Athletic Commission rules, with the possibility of an extension if the knockout is deemed particularly severe by officials.