December 20, (THEWILL) — Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul by stoppage in the sixth round of their heavyweight contest in Miami early on Saturday. The former unified world champion landed a decisive right hand that ended the fight, with the referee halting proceedings after Paul appeared unable to continue. The 36-year-old British fighter improved his professional record to 29 wins and four defeats, with 26 victories coming by knockout.
Paul, the 28-year-old social media personality turned professional boxer, exceeded expectations by surviving into the sixth round despite absorbing multiple heavy punches. The American struggled with Joshua’s size and strength throughout, frequently ending up on the canvas during clinches. Following the bout, Paul stated his jaw was “definitely broke” and indicated he would take a break before returning to cruiserweight competition.
Joshua had not fought since his fifth-round defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, the fourth loss of his professional career. The Olympic gold medallist acknowledged his display was not his finest work, telling the crowd it “took a bit longer than expected” but praised Paul for his persistence. The former WBO, WBA and IBF champion used the Netflix platform to rebuild his profile after previous setbacks.
The British heavyweight now looks ahead to a rumoured fight in Saudi Arabia next February, which would serve as preparation for a potential bout against Tyson Fury. Joshua called out Fury in his post-fight interview, urging the fellow British heavyweight to “stop talking and come and talk with your fists” if he is serious about facing him in 2026.
Nakisa Bidarian, Paul’s business partner at Most Valuable Promotions, attributed the defeat to the size differential rather than any skill gap between the fighters. Paul drove himself to hospital after showering following the contest, according to Bidarian. The American now stands at 12 wins and two defeats in his professional boxing career.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
