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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 pulverising right hand from the former champion. It appeared as if Paul was trying to say "Whoa!" as the force of the impact sank in to his rattled senses.

"Those watching didn't spend money to see this crap," said the referee, encapsulating the sorry spectacle much more succinctly than anyone else managed to.

Trapped in a corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could not retreat or cling to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the gravity of the sweet science enveloped him. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was lost in an utterly stunned moment.

So this is how it feels, and looks, to be struck cleanly by a genuine professional fighter, an Olympic gold medallist and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is indeed the word.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been knocked down, but the consequences of a clean punch ensured Paul could not rise and taunt his opponent before the official called the contest to a halt. As blood began to trickle from his lips, and a dull ache spread through his jawbone, Paul at last understood how hard, exhausting, and dangerous boxing is at a respectable standard of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Impressive Win for Joshua

Joshua, it should be stressed, was far from convincing amid the chaos. After his empty victory, he made a cut-throat motion that hinted at a precise and deadly finish when, in reality, Joshua had appeared exasperated for most of the fight. Rather than glowering with menace or exhibiting an iron certainty, Joshua had seemed tentative and crude for nearly five rounds.

Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a basic essential in top-level boxing, shaped the outcome. Lacking the stamina to escape any more, and resorting to falling to the canvas as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was left defenseless by fatigue. Joshua applied the brutal finish, but, until then, he had seemed a sad imitation of the boxer he was in 2017.

Joshua's Post-Fight Comments

"It wasn't the best display," Joshua admitted. "The objective was to catch Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the request, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand eventually found its target."

Joshua commended Paul's bravery but he added an excuse for his own stilted performance. "He came up against a genuine competitor tonight that's had a fifteen-month layoff," Joshua said, mentioning his previous defeat. "We shook off the rust, and I am eager to head into 2026."

What Comes Next: Faded Forces and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a cheerful Joshua attempted a woeful impression of his domestic rival as he demanded a scrap against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that bout comes far too late in their careers. Both fighters are on the downward slope of the peak.

In stark contrast, the most compelling heavyweights in the world are the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. Usyk remains the undoubted ruler of the weight class, having beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. At the same time, Itauma is a rapidly ascending talent. The youthful British heavyweight would probably have required less than half the amount of rounds that Joshua needed to send Paul into a suitably astonished state.

Paul's Defiant Reaction

But the fans gets what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more pitiful celebrity fights. Paul seemed genuinely proud and cocky to have had his mandible fractured by a sledgehammer right. In the wee hours of the next day, he posted an radiograph, with the pair of breaks marked in red.

That lighthearted reference to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a much superior fighter than Joshua but a similarly diminished force, showed that Paul's comic chutzpah is undented. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate someone else with whom he can make north of $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before departing to the medical facility, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the canvas. It was another grim symbol of the evening as Paul mangled harsh reality with gory bullshit and said: "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A proper beating from one of the best to ever do it. I adore this shit and I'm going to return and continue winning."