Anthony Joshua KO's Jake Paul; calls out Tyson Fury in Miami

Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul by knockout in the sixth round at the Kaseya Center in Miami, ending the months-long buildup around the crossover bout. The former two-time world heavyweight champion connected with a decisive right hand that halted Paul’s bid to upset a seasoned Olympic medalist, and Joshua immediately signaled Tyson Fury as a potential next opponent in the postfight moment.

Joshua had started cautiously, letting Paul move around the ring, before finding the right moment to unleash the decisive blow. The stoppage came after Joshua, who had been out of the ring for 15 months, began to find his range and land clean, punishing shots that left Paul unable to continue. Paul, who entered the bout with a narrow mix of amateur pedigree and celebrity-driven interest, showed heart and grit but appeared to struggle with the pace and size of a true heavyweight under fight-night pressure. Several observers noted Paul’s conditioning and stamina as key factors in the late stages of the bout.

Reaction from across boxing reflected a mix of admiration for Paul’s perseverance and acknowledgment of Joshua’s established elite level. Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis said Joshua needed a few rounds to warm up and noted Paul looked short of peak shape for a big heavyweight contest. Others highlighted Paul’s willingness to engage and press forward, even as the gap in experience and refinement between the two fighters remained evident. In the lead-up and during the postfight news conference, Joshua reiterated a pre-fight line about taking Paul’s “soul” and suggested that his next test could involve a high-profile opponent, potentially in the United States.

Away from the ring, the event drew swift reaction from other corners of the sport and beyond. Chris Eubank Jr and Tony Bellew were among those who argued that Paul’s performance earned respect for his bravery in a bout many experts considered a mismatch on paper. KSI, a longtime rival and commentator on the Paul-Joshua storyline, weighed in with optimism about the spectacle and its impact on the sport’s popularity. Joshua himself floated the possibility of a fight against a big name such as Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia if the opportunity presented itself and suggested a return to the arena scene could occur in 2026 with a full schedule behind him.

The boxing business side framed the event as a landmark moment for the sport. Most Valuable Promotions, co-founded by Jake Paul, hailed the bout as historic and noted it drew global attention, with Netflix and other platforms carrying the event to a massive audience. The broadcast presence and social-media footprint helped create a new kind of boxing relevance, even as traditionalists continued to debate the balance between sport and spectacle. In a separate note that circulated in real time, former U.S. president Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social praising Paul’s courage against a formidable opponent, highlighting the crossover bout’s broad cultural reach.

In the immediate aftermath, Jake Paul disclosed that he had suffered a double jaw fracture during the night’s exchanges, a piercing reminder of the physical toll of high-stakes boxing revealed on a stage as global as this one. The injury casts a new shadow over Paul’s immediate future, even as Joshua’s victory sets up a possible rematch with Fury or a cross-promotional clash against another top lightweight or junior welterweight talent moving up to heavyweight in the next year or two.

For Joshua, the win preserves his place at or near the top of the heavyweight heap and reinforces the notion that the gulf between elite boxing and crossover spectacle remains substantial, even as audience engagement continues to grow. For Paul, the performance—despite the knockout—adds to a narrative of audacity and marketability that could lead to future headline bouts, potentially against other American figures or international names seeking to capitalize on the ongoing buzz around his boxing experiment.

As the sport digests the results, attention now turns to whether Joshua will pursue Fury in what would be a storied, high-stakes collision for the heavyweight crown, or whether other major matchups could emerge from the evolving web of promoters, networks, and global fans drawn to the Joshua-Paul saga.

The night’s end also featured social and media chatter about the broader implications for boxing’s commercial future, with industry observers noting the event’s ability to capture a cross-section of audiences that extend beyond traditional boxing demographics. While some purists may question the match’s boxing parity, the consensus in many quarters is that the spectacle did what it was intended to do: generate massive attention, produce a clear sporting outcome, and push both fighters toward the next stage of their careers. As the sport contemplates where the Joshua-Paul arc goes from here, the next chapters will likely hinge on timing, financing, and the availability of marquee opponents, all of which will shape the heavyweight landscape in 2026 and beyond.