It took longer than many expected, but Anthony Joshua dispatched Jake Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight main event, handing Paul his second career loss while staying on track for a super fight against Tyson Fury next year.
Joshua knocked Paul down three times, each time watching him rise off the canvas, before ultimately finishing the fight with a fourth and final knockdown. The finishing shot came as Joshua backed Paul into the ropes and connected cleanly on a thundering right hand which immediately drew a reaction from Paul as he hit the canvas. Paul stated after the fight be believed his jaw was broken.
“It wasn’t the best performance. It wasn’t the best,” Joshua said in the ring afterwards. “… it took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found a destination. Now, Jake Paul, he’s done really well tonight, I want to give him his props. He got up time and time again. It was difficult in there for him and he kept on trying to find a way.”
Paul’s game plan was apparent from the start as he established position on the outside of the ring and continually used his feet to avoid the stalking Joshua. It wasn’t until the fifth round that Paul first hit the canvas, being dropped twice before falling two more times in the sixth.
While sloppy in execution and quick to clinch throughout, Paul did manage to land on the former heavyweight champion at times before ultimately being stopped. And credit must be given to Paul for getting up off the canvas three times, facing one of the heavyweight division’s elites just five years into his boxing career.
“That was good. Nice little (expletive) whooping from one of the best to ever do it.” Paul said. “I love this (expletive) and I’m going to come back and get a world championship belt at some point.”
While Paul expressed a desire to return to the ring at cruiserweight following the loss, Joshua used his time on the mic to call out Fury, the former lineal champion who’s been widely linked to a fight against Joshua in the latter half of 2026.
“We want the Tyson Fury fight of course,” Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said. “That’s the fight; that’s the biggest fight … rounds in the bank for Anthony Joshua. 2026 back to real business. Tyson Fury in the world heavyweight championship.”
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