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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped agape, his eyes becoming wide, stunned circles as he collapsed to the canvas in shock and awe after a pulverising right hand from the former champion. It appeared as if Paul was trying to utter "Wow!" as the force of the impact sank in to his rattled senses.

"The fans didn't pay to see this garbage," snapped the referee, encapsulating the dismal spectacle far more effectively than any observer else managed to.

Trapped in a corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could no longer run or hold on to Joshua's legs in a desperate clinch as the gravity of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the shot that broke his jaw in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an completely stunned moment.

So this is how it is like, and appears, to be struck cleanly by a genuine boxer, an Olympic gold medallist and former world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is certainly the word.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been sent to the floor, but the consequences of a proper punch ensured Paul could not rise and waggle his tongue defiantly before the referee waved the charade over. As blood began to leak from his mouth, and a dull ache spread through his jaw, Paul at last grasped how difficult, exhausting, and perilous boxing is at a respectable level of professionalism.

A Far From Commanding Win for Joshua

Joshua, it should be stressed, was far from convincing during the chaos. After his empty victory, he performed a cut-throat motion that hinted at a clinical and lethal execution when, in reality, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for most of the fight. Instead of glowering with menace or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had appeared tentative and awkward for almost five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in elite boxing, dictated the result. Without the gas to flee any more, and resorting to falling to the deck as often as he could for a rest, Paul was rendered defenseless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the vicious finish, but, until then, he had looked like a sad shadow of the fighter he was in 2017.

Joshua's Aftermath Comments

"That was not the best display," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That has been the request, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its target."

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

The Future: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview afterwards, a cheerful Joshua tried out a woeful impression of his domestic rival as he demanded a fight against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that matchup comes far too late in their careers. Both men are on the far side of the hill.

In stark contrast, the most interesting big men in the world are the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk is still the undoubted king of the weight class, after defeating both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rapidly ascending 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.

Paul's Defiant Reaction

But the public receives what the public desires, and that undoubtedly means additional pitiful crossover fights. Paul seemed genuinely satisfied and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of the next day, he posted an X-ray, with the two fractures marked in crimson.

That lighthearted reference to the Mexican superstar, a much superior fighter than Joshua but a equally faded force, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity is undented. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will soon locate another opponent with whom he can earn north of $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before leaving for the hospital, Paul spat a tracer of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more bleak symbol of the night as Paul mangled blunt truth with gory bravado and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A proper beating from one of the greatest to ever step in the ring. I love this shit and I'm going to return and continue winning."