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Jake Paul's mouth gaped agape, his expression turning to wide, stunned circles as he collapsed to the mat in stunned disbelief following a devastating right hand from Anthony Joshua. It looked as if Paul was attempting to utter "Wow!" as the force of the impact sank in to his rattled senses.

"Those watching didn't pay to see this garbage," said the referee, encapsulating the sorry affair much more effectively than any observer else managed to.

Trapped in a corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could not retreat or hold on to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the gravity of boxing became clear. Instead, as he attempted to withstand the shot that broke his jaw in two separate places, Paul was caught in an utterly stunned moment.

So this is how it feels, and appears, to be hit hard by a real professional fighter, an Olympic gold medallist and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is indeed the appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been knocked down, but the result of a proper punch meant Paul could not rise and taunt his opponent before the official waved the charade over. As blood began to leak from his lips, and a dull ache spread through his jaw, Paul at last understood how difficult, exhausting, and dangerous boxing is at a respectable standard of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Commanding Victory for the Victor

Joshua, it should be stressed, was not impressive amid the bedlam. After his hollow victory, he performed a cut-throat motion that suggested a clinical and lethal finish when, in reality, Joshua had appeared exasperated for most of the contest. Rather than exuding intimidation or displaying an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed hesitant and crude for nearly five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in elite boxing, dictated the outcome. Without the gas to escape any longer, and reduced to falling to the canvas as frequently as he could for a rest, Paul was left helpless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the vicious ending, but, until then, he had looked like a sad imitation of the fighter he had been in 2017.

The Winner's Post-Fight Comments

"It wasn't the best performance," Joshua conceded. "The objective 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 little more time than anticipated, but the right hand eventually reached its destination."

Joshua praised Paul's bravery but he offered an excuse for his own labored performance. "He faced a real fighter tonight that's had a fifteen-month layoff," Joshua said, referencing his last defeat. "We shook off the cobwebs, and I am eager to roll into 2026."

The Future: Past Their Prime and Rising Stars

In the post-fight interview afterwards, a jovial Joshua tried out a woeful impression of his domestic rival as he demanded a fight against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will likely have his way, but that bout comes much too late in their careers. Both fighters are on the far side of the hill.

In contrast, the most compelling heavyweights in the world are the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. Usyk remains the unquestioned ruler of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury twice. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rising force. The youthful British heavyweight would probably have required fewer than half the amount of rounds that Joshua needed to knock Paul into a suitably wowed stupor.

Paul's Defiant Reaction

But the public receives what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more pitiful celebrity fights. Paul seemed genuinely satisfied and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a sledgehammer right. In the wee hours of the next day, he shared an X-ray, with the two fractures highlighted in red.

That jokey reference to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a much superior boxer than Joshua but a equally faded force, showed that Paul's brazen audacity remains undented. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly find another opponent with whom he can earn more than $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before leaving for the hospital, Paul expelled a tracer of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more bleak symbol of the night as Paul mixed blunt truth with blood-flecked bullshit and stated: "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little beating from one of the best to ever step in the ring. I love this sport and I'm going to come back and continue winning."