Joshua defeats Jake Paul in Miami; spectacle sparks questions about scripting and future plans

Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul by knockout in the sixth round at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday night, delivering a win that some described as more spectacle than sport and that only finally delivered the expected decisive moment after a measured start. Ringside reporting from Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail framed the result as Joshua doing what he needed to do, while noting the broader narrative around the bout as a high-stakes entertainment venture rather than a pure boxing test.

Paul leaned into his showman persona, dancing around the ring and mixing quick sorties with clinches and grappling that kept Joshua from settling into a rhythm. Joshua, by contrast, appeared cautious early, seeking the right moment rather than forcing the finish. The pace stretched as the rounds wore on, with Paul surviving into the middle rounds despite taking punishment and Joshua's steady inching toward a finishing sequence that finally arrived in the sixth when the heavyweight landed the decisive blow.

Paul was left with a reportedly broken jaw but pressed on, a detail that underscored the bout’s unusual mix of pain and spectacle. The finish arrived with Joshua’s right hand delivering the culmination many had predicted, yet the night’s drama lay as much in the build-up and endless chatter around the match as in the punches landed inside the ring.

The event highlighted the economics and reach of modern crossover boxing. Netflix-backed specials and a purported purse near $140 million underlined the push to reach global audiences beyond traditional boxing circles, with organizers touting the potential of hundreds of millions of viewers tied to the streaming giant’s platform and promotional reach. The arena—roughly 20,000 seats—saw strong walk-up sales and the sense that entertainment increasingly drives a sport that once lived and died by ringside bell times and title lines. The spectacle also fed into ongoing talk of future, bigger bouts that could redefine the sport’s landscape.

In the larger strategic context, promoters and backers floated the idea of a Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua showdown in the near term, with Saudi financiers reportedly willing to back a bout that could eclipse their latest paydays. Joshua himself signaled openness, telling reporters, “If Tyson means it I’m ready,” a line that affirmed his willingness to pursue a high-profile rematch that could mirror the era-defining matchups boxing is seeking to revive.

Paul, reflecting on the night, said he had a blast and would look for more opponents from across the boxing landscape, signaling an appetite to continue pushing the envelope even as the result drew less sympathy from some critics who questioned the fight’s merit as a true test of boxing skill.

For Joshua, the victory accomplishes what many expected in outcome, while the surrounding questions about integrity and the business model of such events persist. The fight’s Netflix-backed framework and the strategic pursuit of marquee matchups suggest a boxing ecosystem increasingly driven by global audiences, media platforms and the lure of record-breaking purses, even as fans weigh the line between sport and show.