Breaking: Anthony Joshua Ends the Hype as Jake Paul Falls in Miami Heavyweight Fight

 

Former British heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua handed YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul a harsh reality check, defeating him in their highly anticipated heavyweight clash in Miami.

Returning to the ring for the first time since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, the two-time world champion was made to work harder than expected by a brave but limited Paul. Joshua scored three knockdowns before finally sealing victory with a huge right hand midway through the sixth round.

After the fight, which was streamed live on Netflix, Joshua lifted Paul’s hand in a show of respect.

Despite the loss, Paul remained upbeat, saying:

“I’m feeling good, that was fun. I love this sport. I gave it my all, It’s f****** crazy. I had a blast.

I got my ass beat, but that’s what this sport is about. I’mma (going to) come back and keep on winning.”

 

He added:

“I just got tired to be honest. He did amazing and hits really hard.”

The bout ended a 14-month layoff for 36-year-old Joshua, while it represented the biggest test of 28-year-old Paul’s boxing career since he turned professional in 2020.

At Friday’s weigh-in, Joshua held a clear physical advantage, weighing 243.4lbs (17st 5lbs) compared to Paul’s 216lbs (15st 6lbs), a difference of 1.9 stone.

Joshua praised Paul’s determination after the fight, saying:

“Jake Paul has done really well tonight. I want to give him his props, he got up, time and time again.”

However, the former champion admitted he was not fully satisfied with his performance.

“It wasn’t the best performance,”

Joshua said, before adding:

“It took a bit longer than expected. But the right hand finally found the destination.”

Joshua’s weight was his lightest since his first fight with Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021, when he weighed 240lbs, compared to 252.5lbs for his loss to Dubois.

It was only the second time Paul has competed above the cruiserweight limit, the first being his fight against 58-year-old Mike Tyson, whom Paul defeated by unanimous decision.

In the end, the message was clear: hype sells fights, but class and experience still win them.