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Jake Paul's mouth gaped agape, his eyes becoming huge glazed saucers as he collapsed to the canvas in shock and awe following a pulverising right hand from the former champion. It looked as if Paul was attempting to utter "Wow!" as the severity of the blow registered to his scrambled senses.

"Those watching didn't pay to see this rubbish," snapped the referee, summing up the sorry spectacle much more effectively than anyone else could.

Trapped in a corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could not retreat or cling to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the serious reality of the sweet science enveloped him. Instead, as he attempted to withstand the shot that broke his jaw in two distinct locations, Paul was lost in an completely dazed moment.

So that is what it feels, and appears, to be struck cleanly by a real boxer, an Olympic champion and former world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is indeed the appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been knocked down, but the result of a clean punch ensured Paul could not rise and taunt his opponent before the referee waved the contest over. As blood began to trickle from his lips, and a dull ache spread through his jaw, Paul finally grasped how hard, grueling, and perilous boxing is at a respectable level of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Impressive Victory for the Victor

Joshua, it should be stressed, was not impressive amid the bedlam. After his empty victory, he performed a cut-throat motion that suggested a precise and lethal execution when, in reality, Joshua had appeared exasperated for the majority of the fight. Instead of exuding intimidation or exhibiting an iron certainty, Joshua had seemed tentative and awkward for nearly five rounds.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, dictated the result. Without the gas to escape any more, and resorting to falling to the deck as frequently as he could for a rest, Paul was left helpless by exhaustion. Joshua delivered the vicious finish, but, until then, he had looked like a mournful shadow of the boxer he had been in 2017.

The Winner's Post-Fight Assessment

"That was not the finest display," Joshua admitted. "The objective was to catch Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the request, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a bit longer than anticipated, but the straight right eventually found its destination."

Joshua commended Paul's bravery but he added an explanation for his own labored showing. "He faced a genuine competitor tonight that's had a 15-month layoff," Joshua said, mentioning his last defeat. "We dusted off the rust, and I am eager to roll into 2026."

What Comes Next: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a cheerful Joshua attempted a poor imitation of Tyson Fury as he called for a scrap against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that bout comes far too late in their careers. Both fighters are on the far side of the hill.

In contrast, the most compelling big men in the world are Oleksandr Usyk and Moses Itauma. Usyk remains the undoubted ruler of the division, having beaten both Joshua and Fury twice. At the same time, Itauma is a rapidly ascending force. The youthful British heavyweight would probably have needed fewer than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua required to knock Paul into a suitably wowed state.

The Defeated Fighter's Unbowed Reaction

But the fans receives what the public wants, and that certainly means more pitiful crossover contests. Paul appeared genuinely satisfied and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of Saturday morning, he posted an X-ray, with the two fractures highlighted in red.

That lighthearted nod to the Mexican superstar, a far greater fighter than Joshua but a similarly diminished presence, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity remains unbroken. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will soon find another opponent with whom he can earn more than $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before departing to the medical facility, Paul spat a tracer of blood onto the canvas. It was another grim summary of the evening as Paul mangled blunt truth with blood-flecked bullshit and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little ass-whipping from one of the greatest to ever step in the ring. I adore this shit and I'm going to return and keep on winning."