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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped wide open, his eyes becoming 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 "Whoa!" as the force of the impact registered to his rattled senses.

"Those watching didn't spend money to see this rubbish," said the referee, encapsulating the dismal affair far 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 gravity of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he attempted to withstand the shot that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an completely dazed moment.

So that is what it is like, and looks, to be hit hard by a real boxer, an Olympic champion and former world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is indeed the word.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been sent to the floor, but the result of a proper punch ensured Paul could not rise and taunt his opponent before the official waved the charade over. As blood began to leak from his mouth, and a dull ache spread through his jawbone, Paul finally grasped how hard, exhausting, and perilous boxing is at a decent level of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Commanding Win for Joshua

Anthony Joshua, it should be stressed, was far from convincing during the bedlam. After his hollow victory, he made a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a clinical and deadly finish when, in reality, Joshua had appeared exasperated for the majority of the contest. Instead of exuding intimidation or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had appeared hesitant and crude for almost five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in elite boxing, dictated the outcome. Without the gas to escape any more, and resorting to falling to the canvas as often as he could for a rest, Paul was left defenseless by exhaustion. Joshua applied the brutal finish, but, until then, he had seemed a sad shadow of the fighter he had been in 2017.

Joshua's Aftermath Comments

"It wasn't the best performance," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to catch Jake Paul, corner him and hurt him. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a bit longer than anticipated, but the right hand eventually reached its target."

Joshua commended Paul's bravery but he offered an excuse for his own stilted performance. "He faced a genuine competitor tonight that's had a 15-month hiatus," Joshua said, mentioning his last loss. "We shook off the cobwebs, and I can't wait to roll into 2026."

The Future: Faded Forces and New Talent

In the press conference afterwards, a cheerful Joshua attempted a poor imitation of Tyson Fury as he demanded a fight against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that matchup comes far too late in their professional journeys. Both fighters are on the downward slope of the peak.

In stark contrast, the most compelling heavyweights in the world are the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. Usyk remains the undoubted ruler of the division, having beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rising talent. The young British heavyweight would probably have required less than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua needed to knock Paul into a suitably wowed stupor.

Paul's Unbowed Reaction

But the fans receives what the public desires, and that undoubtedly means additional low-quality celebrity contests. Paul appeared truly satisfied and brash to have had his mandible fractured by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of the next day, he posted an radiograph, with the pair of breaks highlighted in red.

That lighthearted reference to the Mexican superstar, a far greater boxer than Joshua but a similarly faded force, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity is unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate another opponent with whom he can earn north of $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before leaving for the hospital, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the ring floor. It was another bleak summary of the evening as Paul mixed harsh reality with gory bravado and said: "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little ass-whipping from one of the best to ever do it. I love this sport and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."