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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's jaw dropped agape, his eyes becoming huge glazed saucers as he collapsed to the canvas in stunned disbelief following a pulverising right hand from Anthony Joshua. It appeared as if Paul was trying to say "Wow!" as the force of the impact registered to his scrambled senses.

"Those watching didn't pay to see this crap," said the referee, summing up the sorry affair far more effectively than anyone else managed to.

Pinned in a corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could no longer retreat or cling to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the gravity of boxing enveloped him. Instead, as he attempted to withstand the shot that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was lost in an completely stunned moment.

So this is how it is like, and looks, to be struck cleanly by a genuine boxer, an Olympic champion and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is certainly the word.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been knocked down, but the consequences of a clean punch ensured Paul would not be able to get up and taunt his opponent before the official waved the charade to a halt. As blood began to leak from his lips, and a numbing throb radiated through his jawbone, Paul at last understood how hard, grueling, and dangerous boxing is at a decent level of competition.

A Far From Commanding Win for Joshua

Joshua, it should be stressed, was not impressive during the chaos. After his empty victory, he made a cut-throat motion that hinted at a precise and lethal finish when, in reality, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for most of the contest. Instead of glowering with menace or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had appeared tentative and awkward for almost five rounds.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, dictated the outcome. Without the gas to escape any longer, and resorting to slipping to the deck as often as he could for a breather, Paul was rendered defenseless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the brutal finish, but, up to that point, he had seemed a mournful imitation of the boxer he was in 2017.

Joshua's Post-Fight Comments

"It wasn't the finest display," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a little more time than anticipated, but the straight right finally found its destination."

Joshua praised Paul's bravery but he offered an explanation for his own stilted performance. "He faced a genuine competitor tonight that's had a 15-month layoff," Joshua said, referencing his previous loss. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I can't wait to roll into 2026."

What Comes Next: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a jovial Joshua attempted a woeful imitation of Tyson Fury as he demanded a fight against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will probably have his way, but that matchup comes far too late in their professional journeys. Both men are on the far side of the hill.

In contrast, the most interesting big men in the world remain the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. 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 youthful British heavyweight likely have needed less than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua required to send Paul into a suitably wowed stupor.

The Defeated Fighter's Defiant Response

But the public receives what the public desires, and that certainly means additional pitiful crossover fights. Paul appeared truly satisfied and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of Saturday morning, he posted an X-ray, with the two fractures highlighted in crimson.

That jokey reference to the Mexican superstar, a far greater boxer than Joshua but a similarly faded presence, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity is unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate someone else with whom he can earn more than $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before departing to the medical facility, Paul spat a tracer of blood onto the canvas. It was another bleak summary of the evening as Paul mangled harsh reality with gory bravado and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A proper ass-whipping from one of the best to ever step in the ring. I adore this sport and I'm going to return and continue winning."