In a highly anticipated but widely debated bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Anthony Joshua delivered a commanding performance to stop Jake Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight contest on Friday night.
The former two-time world heavyweight champion lived up to his billing, overcoming a slow start to dominate the latter stages of a fight that many had labelled a mismatch from the outset.
Paul, now trying to prove himself as a real boxer, started brightly and showed plenty of determination, circling the ring and refusing to stand still. But as the rounds went on, it became clear he couldn’t trouble Joshua in any meaningful way. With his size and experience telling, Joshua settled in, pumping out a steady jab and lining up the bigger punches.
The championship tide began to turn in the fifth round. Joshua dropped Paul twice with a series of well-timed punches, bringing the crowd to life and signalling that the contest was about to end. Despite rising bravely from both knockdowns, Paul was unable to stem the tide. In the sixth, Joshua unleashed a flurry of power shots that forced the referee to wave the fight off, giving the British star a sixth-round knockout victory.
While the bout drew huge global attention streaming live on Netflix and watched by millions reactions to the action were mixed. Some fans appreciated Paul’s gutsy effort, but many voices in the boxing community reinforced what critics had said before the fight: the skill and size gap was simply too great.
For Joshua, the win marks a return to form and keeps open the possibility of future big-name fights. For Paul, it’s a tough night and a second professional defeat, but he leaves Miami having shared the ring once again with elite competition.
Joshua Stops Paul in Six Rounds in Miami Mismatch
