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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped wide open, his expression turning to wide, stunned circles as he sank to the canvas in stunned disbelief following a pulverising right hand from Anthony Joshua. It looked as if Paul was attempting to say "Wow!" as the severity of the blow registered to his scrambled senses.

"Those watching didn't pay to see this rubbish," said the referee, summing up the sorry spectacle much more effectively than anyone else could.

Trapped in a corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could no longer retreat or cling to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the serious reality of the sweet science enveloped him. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that fractured his mandible in two separate places, Paul was lost in an completely dazed moment.

So that is what it is like, and appears, to be hit hard by a genuine professional fighter, an Olympic gold medallist and former world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is indeed the word.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been sent to the floor, but the consequences of a clean power shot meant Paul would not be able to get up and taunt his opponent before the referee waved the contest to a halt. As blood began to trickle from his mouth, and a numbing throb spread through his jaw, Paul finally grasped how difficult, exhausting, and dangerous boxing is at a respectable standard of professionalism.

A Far From Impressive Win for Joshua

Anthony Joshua, it should be stressed, was not impressive amid the bedlam. After his empty victory, he made a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a clinical and deadly finish when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for most of the fight. Rather than exuding intimidation or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had appeared tentative and awkward for almost five rounds.

Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a basic essential in elite boxing, dictated the outcome. Without the gas to flee any longer, and reduced to slipping to the deck as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was rendered defenseless by fatigue. Joshua applied the brutal ending, but, up to that point, he had looked like a sad imitation of the boxer he was in 2017.

Joshua's Post-Fight Comments

"It wasn't the best display," Joshua conceded. "The objective was to catch Jake Paul, corner him and hurt him. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my mind. It took a little more time than anticipated, but the straight right eventually found its destination."

Joshua praised Paul's bravery but he added an explanation for his own labored performance. "He faced a real fighter tonight that's had a 15-month layoff," Joshua said, mentioning his last defeat. "We shook off the rust, and I can't wait to roll into 2026."

What Comes Next: Past Their Prime and Rising Stars

In the press conference that followed, a cheerful Joshua attempted a poor imitation of his domestic rival as he demanded a fight against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will likely have his way, but that matchup comes far too late in their professional journeys. Both fighters are on the far side of the hill.

In contrast, the most interesting big men in the world are Oleksandr Usyk and the British prospect. Usyk is still the unquestioned ruler of the division, having beaten both Joshua and Fury twice. At the same time, Itauma is a rising force. The youthful British heavyweight likely have needed less than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua needed to knock Paul into a suitably astonished stupor.

The Defeated Fighter's Unbowed Reaction

But the fans receives what the public desires, and that certainly means more low-quality crossover fights. Paul seemed genuinely satisfied and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a hammer-like right. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, he posted an radiograph, with the pair of breaks highlighted in crimson.

That jokey nod to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a much superior fighter than Joshua but a equally faded force, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity remains undented. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate another opponent with whom he can make north of $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before departing to the hospital, Paul spat a streak of blood onto the canvas. It was another bleak symbol of the night as Paul mangled harsh reality with gory bravado and said: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A proper ass-whipping from one of the greatest to ever do it. I adore this shit and I'm going to return and continue winning."