Joshua stops Paul in sixth round of Miami mismatch

In one of the most egregious mistakes in boxing history, British heavyweight Anthony Joshua needed six rounds to stop boxing prodigy Jake Paul, who spent the majority of the match in survival mode.

Paul refused to engage in dance routines around the ring for a while, and Joshua cut an increasingly frustrated figure before imposing himself by beating YouTuber-turned-boxer twice in the fifth round.

In the sixth inning, Paul was once more down before Joshua’s powerful and flawless right hand at the Miami’s Kaseya Center abruptly brought the bizarre night to an end.

The American did not succeed in the count, and the relief he felt when he rose to his feet and left the ring was palpable.

Joshua, 36, claimed that his performance wasn’t the best.

“Jake Paul was hurt and pin him down,” he said. The right hand eventually reached the destination after a little longer than the expected.

The controversial fight raises questions about the safety risks brought on by such a wide gulf in experience, size, and power, and the boxing world had predicted it.

Joshua now has his focus on a more legitimate challenge, particularly the long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury the following year, after claiming his 29th victory in his professional career out of 33 appearances.

If you’re a really bad boy, Joshua told his rival, “Come and fight one of the “realest” fighters out there, step in there with me next.”

Paul, by contrast, broke his promise to create the biggest sports-historical hegemony.

The 28-year-old’s struggled to cope with the two-stone weight gap and how badly he struggled with it as he spent the majority of the fight tumbling to the floor and clutching at Joshua’s legs.

In the 20, 000-seat arena, Joshua first entered the ring and received a mixed reception. His expression was harsh, reflecting his commitment to the contest all week.

Rap rapper 6ix9ine, a controversial figure with a history of prison time and criminal convictions, flanked Paul’s ringwalk, which raised questions.

Paul scurried on the wrong foot as the opening bell rang, and soon boos came in.

Joshua followed him, swinging heavy left and right with only air when the crowd gasped for each miss. Paul responded by playing to the theater while sticking his tongue out.

Paul, who had just 13 months prior engaged 58-year-old Mike Tyson, won in a small victory every minute.

In the fourth, he did a loop overhand right, but it hardly made sense to Joshua.

More than 300 million Netflix users were able to watch the event live.

Rory McIlroy, a recent winner of the Sports Personality of the Year, sat ringside with Timbaland and Rick Ross.

Many people had anticipated much earlier in the fifth round. Paul was brushed against the canvas by a right hook.

A combination sent him home again moments later. As he fought with bravado to conceal the damage, he rose sharply and was breathing heavily.

Paul sat sprawling once more in the sixth minute, which made some fans call for the referee to intervene.

People who recall Joshua’s brutal one-punch victory over Francis Ngannou, the former UFC heavyweight champion, earlier last year, could sense a familiar conclusion.

Joshua’s boxing skills were not put to the test with care during this competition. It was intended as entertainment and a revenue-generating device.

I’m not concerned with the legacy. The legacy is complete after 50 years, and the rest is done. Joshua said, “This is what I do, I’ll do it until I can’t stop.”

Joshua will leave Miami with a reported £210 million purse, and he is anticipated to concentrate on another potential warm-up opponent in February before a potential 2026 showdown with Fury.

Paul, in contrast, acknowledged that he had been “beaten up,” but vowed to fight back and fight for the cruiserweight title.

My jaw appears to be broken, I believe. But that was good, he said, and I’ll eventually win the world championship belt.

In a way that few boxers can, whether you like him or not, Paul draws audiences, headlines, and debate.