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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped agape, his expression turning to huge glazed saucers as he sank to the mat in shock and awe after a devastating right hand from Anthony Joshua. It looked as if Paul was trying to say "Wow!" as the force of the impact registered to his rattled senses.

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

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 in a desperate clinch as the serious reality of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the shot that broke his jaw in two distinct locations, Paul was lost in an utterly dazed moment.

So this is how it feels, and looks, to be hit hard by a real boxer, an Olympic champion and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is certainly the appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been knocked down, but the consequences of a proper power shot meant Paul would not be able to rise and taunt his opponent before the referee waved the charade over. As blood began to trickle from his mouth, and a numbing throb spread through his jaw, Paul at last grasped how difficult, grueling, and dangerous boxing is at a respectable level of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Commanding Victory for Joshua

Joshua, it must be noted, was not impressive amid the chaos. After his hollow victory, he made a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a precise and deadly finish when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for most of the fight. Rather than glowering with menace or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed hesitant and awkward for nearly five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, shaped the outcome. Lacking the stamina to escape any longer, and resorting to slipping to the deck as often as he could for a breather, Paul was rendered helpless by exhaustion. Joshua delivered the brutal ending, but, up to that point, he had looked like a mournful imitation of the boxer he was in 2017.

Joshua's Aftermath Comments

"That was not the best performance," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to catch 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 finally reached its destination."

Joshua commended Paul's courage but he offered an excuse for his own labored performance. "He came up against a real fighter tonight that's had a fifteen-month layoff," Joshua said, mentioning his previous loss. "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 afterwards, a cheerful Joshua tried out a poor imitation of his domestic rival as he called for a fight against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will probably have his way, but that bout comes far too late in their careers. Both men are on the downward slope of the hill.

In contrast, the most compelling big men in the world are the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk remains the unquestioned ruler of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury twice. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rising force. The young British heavyweight would probably have required less than half the amount of three-minute periods that Joshua needed to knock Paul into a suitably wowed stupor.

The Defeated Fighter's Unbowed Reaction

But the public gets what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more low-quality celebrity contests. Paul appeared truly proud and brash to have had his jaw broken by a hammer-like right. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, he shared an radiograph, with the two fractures marked in crimson.

That jokey reference to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a much superior fighter than Joshua but a similarly faded presence, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity remains unbroken. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly find another opponent with whom he can earn more than $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before departing to the medical facility, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the canvas. It was another grim summary of the evening as Paul mixed harsh reality with blood-flecked bravado and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A proper beating from one of the greatest to ever do it. I adore this sport and I'm going to return and continue winning."