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Jake Paul's jaw dropped wide open, his expression turning to wide, stunned circles as he sank to the mat in shock and awe following a devastating right hand from the former champion. It appeared as if Paul was attempting to say "Wow!" as the severity of the impact sank in to his rattled senses.

"The fans didn't spend money to see this garbage," snapped the referee, summing up the dismal spectacle far more effectively than anyone else could.

Pinned in a neutral corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could no longer run or hold on to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the gravity of boxing enveloped him. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that broke his jaw in two separate places, Paul was caught in an utterly dazed moment.

So this is how it feels, and appears, to be hit hard by a real boxer, an Olympic gold medallist and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is certainly the appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the former YouTuber had been knocked down, but the result of a proper punch ensured Paul would not be able to get up and waggle his tongue defiantly before the referee waved the charade to a halt. As blood began to leak from his lips, and a dull ache spread through his jaw, Paul finally understood how difficult, grueling, and perilous boxing is at a decent level of competition.

A Far From Impressive Victory for the Victor

Joshua, it must be noted, was far from convincing during the bedlam. After his hollow victory, he performed a throat-slitting gesture that suggested a clinical and deadly execution when, in truth, Joshua had appeared exasperated for most of the contest. Rather than glowering with menace or exhibiting an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed hesitant and crude for nearly five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a basic essential in top-level boxing, shaped the outcome. Lacking the stamina to escape any more, and resorting to slipping to the deck as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was left helpless by exhaustion. Joshua delivered the brutal ending, but, until then, he had looked like a mournful imitation of the boxer he was in 2017.

The Winner's Aftermath Assessment

"It wasn't the best display," Joshua admitted. "The objective was to get Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a little more time than expected, but the straight right eventually found its target."

Joshua praised Paul's bravery but he added an explanation for his own stilted showing. "He came up against a real fighter tonight that's had a 15-month hiatus," Joshua said, referencing his last defeat. "We dusted off the rust, and I can't wait to head into 2026."

What Comes Next: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview afterwards, a cheerful Joshua tried out a woeful impression of Tyson Fury as he called for a scrap against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will likely get his wish, but that matchup comes far too late in their careers. Both men are on the downward slope of the peak.

In contrast, the most interesting heavyweights in the world are the Ukrainian master and the British prospect. Usyk is still the unquestioned king of the weight class, having beaten both Joshua and Fury twice. At the same time, Itauma is a rapidly ascending talent. The youthful British heavyweight likely have required fewer than half the amount of three-minute periods that Joshua required to knock Paul into a suitably wowed stupor.

Paul's Unbowed Response

But the fans gets what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more pitiful celebrity fights. Paul appeared genuinely proud and brash to have had his mandible fractured by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of the next day, he shared an X-ray, with the two fractures marked in crimson.

That jokey nod to the Mexican superstar, a far greater fighter than Joshua but a similarly faded force, demonstrated that Paul's comic chutzpah remains undented. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate someone else 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 symbol of the night as Paul mixed blunt truth with gory bullshit and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A nice little beating from one of the best to ever step in the ring. I adore this sport and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."