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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's jaw dropped wide open, his expression turning to wide, stunned circles as he collapsed to the canvas in shock and awe after a devastating right hand from Anthony Joshua. It appeared as if Paul was trying to say "Whoa!" as the force of the blow sank in to his rattled senses.

"The fans didn't spend money to see this garbage," snapped the referee, encapsulating the dismal affair much more succinctly than anyone else managed to.

Trapped in a corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could not run or cling to Joshua's legs in a desperate clinch as the serious reality of the sweet science enveloped him. Instead, as he attempted to withstand the shot that fractured his mandible in two separate places, Paul was caught in an utterly stunned moment.

So this is how it is like, and looks, to be struck cleanly by a real professional fighter, an Olympic gold medallist and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Goodness" is indeed the word.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been knocked down, but the result of a clean punch meant Paul would not be able to rise and taunt his opponent before the official called the charade to a halt. As blood began to leak from his mouth, and a dull ache spread through his jaw, Paul finally understood how hard, grueling, and perilous boxing is at a decent standard of competition.

An Unimpressive Commanding Victory for the Victor

Joshua, it should be stressed, was far from convincing during the bedlam. After his empty victory, he performed a cut-throat motion that hinted at a clinical and lethal execution when, in reality, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for the majority of the fight. Instead of exuding intimidation or exhibiting an iron certainty, Joshua had appeared tentative and crude 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 longer, and reduced to slipping to the canvas as often as he could for a breather, Paul was left defenseless by exhaustion. Joshua applied the vicious finish, but, up to that point, he had seemed a mournful imitation of the boxer he had been in 2017.

The Winner's Aftermath Assessment

"That was not the best performance," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to get Jake Paul, corner him and hurt him. That has been the request, and that's what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than anticipated, but the right hand eventually found its destination."

Joshua commended Paul's bravery but he offered an excuse for his own labored performance. "He came up against a real fighter tonight that's had a fifteen-month layoff," Joshua said, referencing his previous loss. "We dusted off the rust, and I can't wait to roll into 2026."

The Future: Faded Forces and Rising Stars

In the post-fight interview that followed, a jovial Joshua attempted a woeful imitation of his domestic rival as he called for a fight against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will likely have his way, but that bout comes much too late in their careers. Both fighters are on the downward slope of the hill.

In contrast, the most interesting big men in the world remain the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. Usyk is still the unquestioned ruler of the division, having beaten both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. At the same time, Itauma is a rising force. The young British heavyweight would probably have required fewer than half the number of rounds that Joshua required to send Paul into a appropriately wowed stupor.

Paul's Defiant Response

But the fans receives what the public desires, and that undoubtedly means additional pitiful celebrity contests. Paul seemed truly satisfied and cocky to have had his mandible fractured by a sledgehammer right. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, he posted an X-ray, with the two fractures highlighted in crimson.

That lighthearted reference to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a far greater boxer than Joshua but a similarly diminished presence, showed that Paul's comic chutzpah is unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly find someone else with whom he can earn north of $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before departing to the medical facility, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more grim summary of the night as Paul mangled harsh reality with blood-flecked bravado and stated: "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little beating from one of the best to ever do it. I adore this shit and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."