Miami
AP
—
Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight fight on Friday night time.
The two-time heavyweight champion displayed why he is likely one of the sport’s elite punchers when he dropped the fading Paul twice in the fifth round.
Sensing the YouTuber was completed, Joshua rocked him with a proper uppercut early in the sixth. The native of England then floored Paul with a mixture to the top.
Although Paul (12-2) reached his toes once more, Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) lastly crushed Paul’s upset dream when he dropped him a fourth time with a proper to the top. Referee Christopher Young counted Paul out at 1:31 of the round in entrance of a capability crowd of 19,600 on the Kaseya Center.
With the victory, Joshua now can angle to reclaim the heavyweight title he misplaced in opposition to Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua additionally has talked a few lengthy mentioned match with countryman and former champion, Tyson Fury. However, Fury is at the moment retired following consecutive losses to Usyk in 2024.
It was Joshua’s first bout since Daniel Dubois knocked him out in 5 rounds in Sept. 2024.
Joshua methodically established tempo in opposition to Paul from the opening round as neither fighter engaged early. Midway by way of the round, Paul threw an overhand proper that Joshua blocked along with his glove. In the closing seconds, Joshua scored with a proper to the top close to the ropes.
In the second, Joshua started using his 6-inch attain benefit by main with a left jab.
Paul scored with a brief proper to the top early in the fourth. Later in the round, Paul twice fell to the canvas awkwardly as he once more tried to reduce distance throughout shut exchanges
Paul weighed 216 kilos and Joshua weighed 243 for the bout.
The 28-year-old Paul, who started his profession in Jan. 2020, initially had focused an exhibition in Miami with light-weight champion Gervonta Davis final month. But Davis encountered authorized issues that scrapped the occasion. Paul shortly pivoted and landed the bout in opposition to Joshua in the identical venue.
Celebrities in the group included golf champion Rory McIlroy, New York Mets slugger Juan Soto, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and retired NFL receivers Michael Irvin and Brandon Marshall.
In an undercard bout between retired UFC champions, 50-year-old Anderson Silva scored a second-round TKO in opposition to Tyron Woodley.