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Jake Paul's jaw dropped agape, his eyes becoming huge glazed saucers as he sank to the canvas in shock and awe after a pulverising right hand from the former champion. It looked as if Paul was trying to say "Whoa!" as the force of the impact registered to his rattled senses.

"Those watching didn't spend money to see this garbage," said the referee, encapsulating the dismal spectacle much more succinctly than any observer else managed to.

Trapped in a neutral corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could not retreat or cling to Joshua's legs in a desperate clinch as the serious reality of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that broke his jaw in two distinct locations, Paul was caught in an completely dazed 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 appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been knocked down, but the result of a proper power shot meant Paul would not be able to rise and taunt his opponent before the referee called the contest over. As blood began to leak from his mouth, and a numbing throb radiated through his jaw, Paul finally understood how hard, grueling, and dangerous boxing is at a decent level of competition.

An Unimpressive Commanding Victory for Joshua

Joshua, it must be noted, was far from convincing during the chaos. After his hollow victory, he made a cut-throat motion that suggested a clinical and deadly execution when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for the majority of the contest. Instead of exuding intimidation or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed hesitant and awkward for almost five stanzas.

Paul's lack of conditioning, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, dictated the outcome. Lacking the stamina to flee any longer, and resorting to falling to the deck as often as he could for a rest, Paul was left defenseless by fatigue. Joshua applied the brutal finish, but, until then, he had seemed a sad shadow of the boxer he had been in 2017.

The Winner's Post-Fight Assessment

"It wasn't the finest display," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and do damage. That has been the request, and that's what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the straight right eventually found its target."

Joshua commended Paul's courage but he added an excuse for his own labored showing. "He came up against a real fighter tonight that's had a 15-month layoff," Joshua said, referencing his previous defeat. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I can't wait to roll into 2026."

What Comes Next: Past Their Prime and Rising Stars

In the post-fight interview afterwards, a cheerful Joshua tried out a poor imitation of his domestic rival as he demanded a scrap against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will likely have his way, but that bout comes far too late in their professional journeys. Both men are on the far side of the peak.

In stark contrast, the most interesting big men in the world are Oleksandr Usyk and the British prospect. Usyk remains the undoubted king of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. At the same time, Itauma is a rapidly ascending force. The young British heavyweight would probably have required less than half the amount of three-minute periods that Joshua required to knock Paul into a suitably astonished state.

Paul's Defiant Response

But the fans receives what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more low-quality crossover fights. Paul seemed truly proud and cocky to have had his mandible fractured by a sledgehammer right. In the early hours of Saturday morning, he shared an radiograph, with the pair of breaks highlighted in crimson.

That jokey reference to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a far greater fighter than Joshua but a similarly faded presence, demonstrated that Paul's comic chutzpah is unbroken. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate another opponent with whom he can earn more than $50 million.

While he was being interviewed, before leaving for the medical facility, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the canvas. It was another bleak summary of the night as Paul mixed harsh reality with gory bullshit and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A nice little ass-whipping from one of the best to ever step in the ring. I love this shit and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."