Former British-Nigerian heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua delivered a dose of reality to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul as he won their much-anticipated showdown.
But Joshua was made to work far harder than he would have liked to extinguish the challenge of a brave but limited opponent.
Joshua scored three knockdowns before landing a huge right hit on Paul halfway through the sixth round.
The Nigerian fighter lifted Paul’s hand in a show of respect after the fight broadcast on the streaming platform Netflix.
The fight at the Kaseya Center, which saw both men reportedly splitting a mammoth purse of $184 million, had triggered alarm across boxing due to the gulf in physical size and class between Britain’s two-time former world champion Joshua and Paul, an internet personality who has forged a lucrative career through a handful of novelty boxing contests.
A lackluster contest descended into farce at times, with Paul repeatedly dropping to the canvas and grappling at Joshua’s legs.
At one stage even referee Christopher Young appeared to be losing patience, warning the fighters in the fourth round: “The fans did not pay to see this crap.”
As Paul tired, the 6ft 6in (1.85m) tall Joshua began to land punches with more regularity, and after knocking down the 6ft 1in American twice in the fifth round, the end came swiftly in the sixth.
Joshua backed the 28-year-old into a corner and, after teeing up Paul with a crunching left, delivered the knockout blow with a right to the chin that sent his opponent crashing to the canvas.
“It wasn’t the best performance,” Joshua, 36, admitted afterwards. “But the end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down, and hurt him.
“That was the request leading up, and that was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its destination.”
“Jake Paul has done really well tonight. I want to give him his props, he got up, time and time again,” he said about his opponent.
Joshua said it “wasn’t the best performance, adding: “It took a bit longer than expected. But the right hand finally found the destination.”
Meanwhile, Paul said, “I’m feeling good, that was fun. I love this sport. I gave it my all. It’s f****** crazy. I had a blast.
Photo Caption
Anthony Joshua hits hard on Jake Paul. PHOTO: Netflix
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