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Jake Paul's mouth gaped agape, his expression turning to wide, stunned circles as he collapsed to the canvas in shock and awe following a devastating right hand from the former champion. It looked as if Paul was attempting to say "Wow!" as the force of the impact sank in to his scrambled senses.

"Those watching didn't spend money to see this crap," snapped the referee, summing up the dismal affair far more effectively than anyone else managed to.

Pinned in a corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could not run or cling to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the serious reality of boxing became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that broke his jaw in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an completely stunned moment.

So that is what it feels, and looks, to be hit hard by a real boxer, an Olympic gold medallist and former world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is certainly the word.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been sent to the floor, but the consequences of a proper punch meant Paul would not be able to rise and taunt his opponent before the official waved the charade over. As blood began to trickle from his lips, and a numbing throb radiated through his jaw, Paul finally understood how difficult, grueling, and dangerous boxing is at a respectable standard of competition.

A Far From Impressive Victory for the Victor

Joshua, it must be noted, was far from convincing during the bedlam. After his empty victory, he performed a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a precise and deadly execution when, in reality, Joshua had appeared exasperated for most of the fight. Instead of exuding intimidation or displaying an iron certainty, Joshua had seemed tentative and crude for nearly five rounds.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, dictated the outcome. Without the gas to flee any longer, and reduced to slipping to the deck as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was left helpless by exhaustion. Joshua applied the vicious ending, but, until then, he had looked like a mournful imitation of the boxer he was in 2017.

Joshua's Aftermath Comments

"It wasn't the best display," Joshua admitted. "The objective was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and do damage. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a bit longer than anticipated, but the straight right finally reached its target."

Joshua commended Paul's courage but he added an explanation for his own labored performance. "He faced a genuine competitor tonight that's had a 15-month layoff," Joshua said, referencing his last defeat. "We dusted off the rust, and I am eager to head into 2026."

What Comes Next: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a cheerful Joshua tried out a poor imitation of Tyson Fury as he demanded a scrap against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that matchup comes far too late in their professional journeys. Both men are on the downward slope of the hill.

In stark contrast, the most interesting big men in the world are the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk is still the unquestioned king of the division, having beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. At the same time, Itauma is a rising force. The young British heavyweight would probably have needed fewer than half the number of rounds that Joshua required to send Paul into a suitably wowed stupor.

Paul's Defiant Response

But the public gets what the public wants, and that certainly means additional low-quality celebrity fights. Paul appeared genuinely satisfied and brash to have had his mandible fractured by a sledgehammer right. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, he posted an X-ray, with the two fractures highlighted in red.

That lighthearted reference to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a much superior fighter than Joshua but a similarly faded presence, showed that Paul's comic chutzpah remains unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will soon locate someone else with whom he can make more than $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before departing to the hospital, Paul expelled a tracer of blood onto the canvas. It was another bleak symbol of the evening as Paul mixed blunt truth with blood-flecked bullshit and said: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little beating from one of the best to ever step in the ring. I adore this shit and I'm going to come back and continue winning."