Anthony Joshua delivered a ruthless display in the early hours on Sunday, pounding Jake Paul into submission before the referee halted the contest to award the former heavyweight champion a stoppage victory in the United States.
Joshua, a two-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist, dominated the bout with superior power, experience and ring control, repeatedly breaking through Paul’s defence until the fight was stopped for the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s safety.
Although it was not recorded as a knockout, the ending had the feel of one, with Joshua’s heavy right hands and sustained pressure leaving Paul with little response as the referee intervened.
The victory takes Joshua’s professional record to 29 wins and four defeats, with 26 of those wins coming inside the distance, and marks his first career win on American soil.
Speaking after the fight, Joshua admitted the bout took longer than expected but said his approach was deliberate.
“It wasn’t the best performance, but the plan was to break him down. I needed to give him a systematic breakdown, and when the right hand landed, that was it,” Joshua said.
Despite the one-sided nature of the contest, Joshua praised Paul for his bravery.
“Jake Paul tried. He kept getting up and looking for a way back. It takes a real man to do that, but tonight he faced a real fighter,” he added.
Paul also earned respect from fellow professionals, with Chris Eubank Jr commending him for stepping into the ring with an elite heavyweight and seeing the fight through to the end.
Joshua played down talk of legacy and immediately shifted focus to future challenges, calling out long-time rival Tyson Fury.
“I don’t care about legacy. This is what I do. If Tyson Fury is serious, he should stop talking online and come and fight me,” Joshua said.
