MIAMI (MNN): Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua knocked out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a highly controversial, Netflix-backed fight held in Miami on Friday night.
The two-time world champion faced unexpected resistance from his far less experienced opponent, but Joshua’s superior size, strength and power eventually proved decisive in the latter stages of the eight-round contest.
The bout at the Kaseya Center, reportedly earning both fighters a combined purse of $184 million, was widely criticised for its lack of quality and at times descended into farce.
Paul repeatedly fell to the canvas and resorted to grappling Joshua’s legs, prompting visible frustration from referee Christopher Young, who warned both fighters in the fourth round that fans “did not pay to see this.”
As Paul began to tire, Joshua found his rhythm and landed punches more consistently. After knocking the American down twice in the fifth round, Joshua closed the show in the sixth. He trapped Paul in a corner, landed a powerful left hand and followed it with a crushing right to the chin that sent Paul crashing to the canvas for the knockout.
Speaking after the fight, Joshua admitted his performance was not perfect but said the objective had been clear. He also praised Paul for his resilience and determination in lasting several rounds against a seasoned heavyweight.
Paul, bloodied from the final blow, said he believed his jaw was broken but expressed satisfaction with his effort, crediting Joshua as one of the best fighters of all time and vowing to return stronger.
The fight was streamed live to Netflix’s nearly 300 million subscribers. Despite concerns over the mismatch in experience and size, the bout lasted longer than many had predicted, though Joshua remained the dominant and more effective boxer throughout.
