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Jake Paul's mouth gaped agape, his eyes becoming huge glazed saucers as he sank to the mat in shock and awe after a devastating right hand from the former champion. It appeared as if Paul was trying to say "Wow!" as the severity of the impact registered to his scrambled senses.

"The fans didn't spend money to see this garbage," snapped the referee, summing up the dismal spectacle much more succinctly than any observer else managed to.

Trapped in a neutral corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could not run or hold on to Joshua's legs in a desperate clinch as the serious reality of boxing enveloped him. Instead, as he tried to absorb the shot that broke his jaw in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an completely stunned moment.

So that is what it is like, and looks, to be struck cleanly by a genuine boxer, an Olympic gold medallist and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is indeed the word.

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

An Unimpressive Commanding Win for the Victor

Joshua, it must be noted, was far from convincing during the bedlam. After his empty victory, he performed a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a precise and lethal finish when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for the majority of the fight. Rather than exuding intimidation or exhibiting an iron certainty, Joshua had seemed tentative and awkward for almost five stanzas.

Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a fundamental requirement in elite boxing, dictated the outcome. Lacking the stamina to flee any longer, and reduced to falling to the canvas as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was left defenseless by exhaustion. Joshua applied the vicious ending, but, until then, he had looked like a mournful imitation of the fighter he had been in 2017.

The Winner's Aftermath Comments

"It wasn't the best 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 target."

Joshua praised Paul's bravery but he offered an explanation for his own labored performance. "He faced a genuine competitor tonight that's had a 15-month hiatus," Joshua said, referencing his last loss. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I can't wait to head into 2026."

What Comes Next: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a jovial Joshua attempted a woeful impression of Tyson Fury as he called for a scrap against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will probably get his wish, but that bout comes far too late in their careers. Both fighters are on the downward slope of the hill.

In contrast, the most compelling big men in the world remain Oleksandr Usyk and the British prospect. Usyk remains the undoubted ruler of the division, having beaten both Joshua and Fury twice. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rapidly ascending force. The youthful British heavyweight likely have required less than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua required to send Paul into a appropriately astonished state.

Paul's Defiant Reaction

But the public gets what the public wants, and that certainly means more pitiful crossover contests. Paul seemed truly satisfied and brash to have had his jaw broken by a sledgehammer right. In the wee hours of the next day, he posted an X-ray, with the two fractures highlighted in crimson.

That lighthearted reference to the Mexican superstar, a far greater boxer than Joshua but a equally diminished presence, demonstrated that Paul's comic chutzpah remains undented. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will soon find another opponent with whom he can earn north of $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before leaving for the medical facility, Paul spat a streak of blood onto the canvas. It was another bleak summary of the night as Paul mangled harsh reality with gory bravado and stated: "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A proper beating from one of the greatest to ever step in the ring. I adore this shit and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."