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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped agape, his eyes becoming huge glazed saucers as he sank to the mat in stunned disbelief following a pulverising right hand from Anthony Joshua. It appeared as if Paul was attempting to say "Whoa!" as the severity of the impact registered to his rattled senses.

"The fans didn't pay to see this garbage," snapped the referee, summing up the dismal spectacle much more effectively than anyone else managed to.

Pinned in a neutral 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 serious reality of the sweet science enveloped him. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an completely dazed moment.

So that is what it feels, and appears, to be struck cleanly by a genuine boxer, an Olympic champion and former world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is indeed the word.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been knocked down, but the result of a proper punch meant Paul would not be able to rise and waggle his tongue defiantly before the official called the contest to a halt. As blood began to leak from his lips, and a numbing throb spread through his jawbone, Paul finally understood how difficult, grueling, and perilous boxing is at a respectable level of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Commanding Win for the Victor

Joshua, it should be stressed, was far from convincing amid the bedlam. After his empty victory, he made a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a clinical and deadly finish when, in truth, Joshua had appeared exasperated for the majority of the contest. Instead of exuding intimidation or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed tentative and crude for nearly five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a basic essential in top-level boxing, dictated the outcome. Lacking the stamina to flee any longer, and resorting to slipping to the canvas as often as he could for a breather, Paul was left defenseless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the brutal finish, but, until then, he had seemed a sad shadow of the fighter he was in 2017.

The Winner's Aftermath Comments

"It wasn't the finest display," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to get Jake Paul, corner him 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 eventually found its target."

Joshua praised 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 hiatus," Joshua said, referencing his previous defeat. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I am eager to head into 2026."

The Future: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview afterwards, a jovial Joshua tried out a woeful imitation of his domestic rival as he called for a fight against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will likely have his way, but that bout comes far too late in their careers. Both men are on the downward slope of the hill.

In contrast, the most compelling heavyweights in the world remain the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. Usyk remains the undoubted king of the weight class, having beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rising force. The young British heavyweight likely have needed less than half the number of rounds that Joshua needed to send Paul into a appropriately astonished stupor.

The Defeated Fighter's Defiant Reaction

But the public receives what the public desires, and that certainly means more pitiful celebrity fights. Paul appeared 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 X-ray, with the pair of breaks highlighted in crimson.

That jokey reference to the Mexican superstar, a far greater boxer than Joshua but a similarly diminished force, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity remains unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate another opponent with whom he can earn more than $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 bleak symbol of the night as Paul mixed blunt truth with gory bullshit and stated: "I think my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A nice little ass-whipping from one of the best to ever do it. I love this sport and I'm going to return and continue winning."