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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's jaw dropped wide open, his eyes becoming wide, stunned circles as he sank to the mat in shock and awe following a devastating right hand from the former champion. It looked as if Paul was trying to utter "Whoa!" as the severity of the impact registered to his rattled senses.

"Those watching didn't spend money to see this crap," snapped the referee, summing up the dismal affair far more succinctly than anyone else managed to.

Trapped in a corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could not run or hold on to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the serious reality of boxing became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an completely dazed moment.

So that is what it feels, and appears, to be struck cleanly by a genuine boxer, an Olympic champion and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is indeed the word.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber 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 official called the contest to a halt. As blood began to leak from his lips, and a dull ache radiated through his jaw, Paul at last understood how hard, exhausting, and perilous boxing is at a respectable standard of competition.

An Unimpressive Commanding Victory for Joshua

Anthony Joshua, it should be stressed, was far from convincing amid the bedlam. After his hollow victory, he performed a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a precise and lethal execution when, in truth, Joshua had appeared exasperated for the majority of the contest. Instead of exuding intimidation or displaying an iron certainty, Joshua had seemed hesitant and awkward for almost five stanzas.

Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, shaped the outcome. Without the gas to flee any longer, and resorting to falling to the canvas as often as he could for a breather, Paul was left helpless by fatigue. Joshua applied the vicious ending, but, up to that point, he had looked like a sad imitation of the fighter he had been in 2017.

Joshua's Post-Fight Assessment

"It wasn't the best display," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to get Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the request, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a little more time than expected, but the right hand eventually reached its destination."

Joshua commended 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, referencing his previous defeat. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I can't wait to head into 2026."

What Comes Next: Faded Forces and New Talent

In the press conference that followed, a jovial Joshua attempted a woeful imitation of Tyson Fury as he demanded a fight against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that bout comes much too late in their careers. Both fighters are on the downward slope of the peak.

In stark contrast, the most interesting big men in the world are the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk remains the unquestioned ruler of the division, having beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. At the same time, Itauma is a rapidly ascending talent. The young British heavyweight likely have required less than half the amount of rounds that Joshua needed to send Paul into a suitably wowed state.

The Defeated Fighter's Unbowed Reaction

But the public gets what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means additional low-quality celebrity fights. Paul appeared genuinely satisfied and cocky to have had his mandible fractured by a sledgehammer right. In the wee hours of the next day, he posted an radiograph, with the two fractures marked in red.

That lighthearted nod to the Mexican superstar, a far greater fighter than Joshua but a equally faded presence, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity is unbroken. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate someone else with whom he can earn north of $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before leaving for the hospital, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more grim symbol of the night as Paul mixed harsh reality with gory bullshit and said: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little beating from one of the best to ever step in the ring. I adore this shit and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."