British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua scored a sixth-round knockout against American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in their heavyweight showdown at the Kaseya Center in Miami early Saturday. The victory marked Joshua’s 29th win in 33 professional fights and his first on American soil since his previous loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
From the opening bell, the eight-round bout highlighted a mismatch in size and power. Paul attempted to evade Joshua with constant movement and clinching, but Joshua gradually dominated the fight, landing precise jabs and body shots. The Sagamu-born fighter knocked Paul down twice in the fifth round before securing the knockout in the sixth, landing multiple heavy blows that prompted the referee to stop the contest after Paul failed to beat the count. Joshua landed 48 punches compared to Paul’s 16 during the fight, improving his knockout record to 26 KOs in 29 wins.
After the fight, Joshua called out fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury, signaling his readiness for a major bout in 2026. “We shook off the cobwebs. If Tyson Fury is as serious as he says, step into the ring with me next,” Joshua said.
Paul, 28, was rushed to hospital after the fight following a suspected fractured jaw, confirmed by his promoter Nakisa Bidarian. Recovery is expected to take four to six weeks. Despite the injury, Paul remained optimistic about his future in boxing, stating he plans to recover and continue pursuing his career. “Anthony Joshua is a great champion. I lost, but that’s part of boxing. We’ll heal the jaw, come back stronger, and fight opponents in my weight class,” Paul said.
The bout served as a tune-up for Joshua while providing a high-profile commercial match for Paul, with both fighters acknowledging the physical and mental challenges endured during the contest.