Anthony Joshua delivered a commanding performance against Jake Paul in their highly anticipated bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday night. What was supposed to be an eight-round heavyweight exhibition match turned into a mismatch as Joshua dropped and dominated Paul, winning in the sixth round. This bout was streamed globally to Netflix’s vast audience of approximately 300 million subscribers, and it underscored Joshua’s reputation as a formidable force in boxing.
Joshua’s success wasn’t just a welcome return to some competitive balance in the sport but financially lucrative. The most recent accounts suggest that he will pocket at least $50 million for his work. Their massive payout demonstrates just how high the stakes of this match are. It also demonstrates just how much interest has been created by the ongoing war between conventional boxing and the Wild West of social media pugilism.
Right from the beginning, that bout revealed an extreme clash of archetypes. Joshua, known for his personal strength and upbringing, was pitted against Paul. Paul consistently attempted to create space through lateral movement in order to evade his larger foe. At first, Joshua had a hard time relating to Paul as he walked in circles around him. The crowd booed him lustily whenever Joshua held to evade the big punches.
Joshua went down early but was able to get up to his feet right away. Back to the canvas he went as Paul put him under constant duress. As the fight went on, he was able to reestablish himself by controlling the center of the ring. By the third round, his patience was beginning to bear fruit. He just barely missed Paul with an overhand right. Paul continued to backpedal, masterfully utilizing every corner of the 22-foot ring.
As Joshua learned to cut off the ring more efficiently, Paul’s game plan started going south. Despite clinching frequently to disrupt Joshua’s rhythm, the crowd grew increasingly restless with Paul’s tactics.
In a turning point of the fight, Joshua was able to knock Paul down three times, demonstrating his power and talent. The fight came to a head in the sixth round. Joshua cornered Paul and then rained down a series of repeated haymakers that forced the referee’s hand in stopping the fight.
“Jake Paul, he’s done really well tonight,” – Anthony Joshua
Paul’s respect for Joshua shone through in his post-fight comments. He acknowledged Paul’s resilience, stating, “He got up time and time again. It takes a real man to do that. Anyone who laces up these gloves deserves respect. We have to give Jake his respect for trying and trying and trying.”
The PRR fight from above Joshua also reflected on what it means to be a fighter. “He came up against a real fighter tonight,” he remarked, highlighting the distinction between their experiences in the ring.
The fight was more than just a path to winning, but a path to sending a message to the boxing world. Joshua called out those who critique from behind screens rather than stepping into the ring themselves: “Put down the Twitter fingers and put on some gloves. Let’s see you in the ring and talk with your fists.”
On his end, Jake Paul focused on the positives and continued to push the idea that his business triumphs outweigh any potential loss. “I’ve already won in every single way in life,” he declared, reflecting on his career beyond boxing.