In the final moments of the match, it was difficult to determine what was more excruciating to witness: Jake Paul stumbling around the ring, his legs unsteady and his jaw seemingly broken, spitting blood while clinging to the ropes for support, or Anthony Joshua celebrating with enthusiasm, proclaiming a ‘systematic breakdown’ of his opponent.
By midnight in Miami, only a few consolations remained. Jake Paul had managed to avoid any severe injuries, and Anthony Joshua had achieved the knockout he needed to stay on track for an anticipated bout with Tyson Fury. But above all, the ordeal was finally over.
Referee Chris Young perhaps summed up the event best when he admonished the fighters midway through the spectacle, saying, “The fans did not pay to see this nonsense!” Perhaps he was justified. The audience likely expected more than five-and-a-half rounds of Paul dodging and ducking while Joshua swung at empty air.
But did anyone truly believe that a YouTuber turned boxer, with only 13 fights under his belt, could genuinely challenge a former heavyweight champion? If they did, it speaks volumes about Paul’s ability to persuade and our tendency to accept whatever narrative is presented to us.
Warnings had been issued when Paul carried an inert Mike Tyson last year, and there were hints leading up to this fight that it would not be the slugfest some had hoped for. After six chaotic rounds, however, Joshua eventually managed to connect, satisfying the crowd’s craving for a definitive result. Although he won, the performance did little to bolster his reputation.
As for Jake Paul, he can claim the moral victory of enduring longer in the ring than many of Joshua’s previous opponents. He landed some punches and can boast about his courage—once his jaw heals, of course. Nevertheless, this match represented another dubious chapter for boxing, as Netflix showcased a spectacle that tested the patience of true fans. While the event undoubtedly attracted viewers, one might question whether anyone truly emerged victorious, aside from the fighters’ accountants.
Anthony Joshua delivered a sixth round knockout during his fight against Jake Paul in Miami
Paul continuously fell to the floor and danced around the ring before getting knocked out
The former YouTuber is believed to have suffered a broken jaw during the KO loss in Miami
Early on Friday morning, a floating billboard had drifted north off the coast of Miami Beach. It beamed out advertisements for cell-phone carriers and cannabis-infused drinks. Then appeared the faces of Joshua and Paul.
A few hours later, just across the bay, thousands tuned in to see if Paul really could drag a former heavyweight champion into deep, choppy waters.
That question, that nagging intrigue, that morbid fascination persuaded plenty to ignore reason and disregard everything our eyes told us. To come to the Kaseya Center and perhaps even spend $60 on a commemorative Christmas jumper.
Among those sucked in to make the trip? Kai Trump, golf icon Rory McIlroy, MLB star Juan Soto, Barstool founder Dave Portnoy, NFL legend Michael Irvin and a small army of streamers stalked by their own private cameramen. Rapper 6ix9ine walked Paul to the ring while on probation and while still wearing an ankle monitor.
Few VIPs turned more heads than a service dog who was paraded around ringside like a celebrity. The pup was decked out in shiny ear defenders.
Joshua and Paul could have done with them to drown out the boos. They began after just 90 seconds and they barely relented until Joshua eventually found his target.
He arrived preaching grand plans – he threatened to kill Paul and he promised to ‘save’ boxing from this YouTuber with a big mouth, grand delusions and even deeper pockets. The reality, though, was simpler.
MLB legend Juan Soto and golf icon Rory McIlroy were among the sports stars at ringside
Paul did well to last six rounds with Joshua but hardly did his reputation any favors
The ‘Problem Child’ found himself in a spot of bother after a brutal flurry from Joshua
The sun has been setting on AJ’s career for quite some time and this offered an opportunity to squeeze a few more drops from the sponge. Supposedly to the tune of around $50million. Against a novice cruiserweight. So who could blame him?
There was only one issue: some fans, it seems saw through the haze. At Thursday’s weigh-in, in the public galleries – behind the hordes of invitees and influencers – there were almost as many empty seats as supporters. It was a healthier picture by the time the main event arrived on Friday night.
But when this fight was announced, tickets went on sale for between $99 and $30,000. Shortly before the main card kicked off, around 7pm local time, many tickets were available online for just $31. Soon they were down to $11.
At ringside, some VIPs relaxed in leather armchairs. Up towards the nosebleeds? There were still spots available by the time Joshua entered the arena.
It was an overwhelming young crowd, proof of Paul’s pulling power among a different generation. The early evidence suggested that many were new to boxing, too: the undercard fight between UFC legends Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley was barely two minutes old when the boos began.
Turns out that was only a dress-rehearsal for their frustration. Perhaps none of that mattered to Paul or Joshua – not when Netflix bankrolled this event and then beamed it out to 300million subscribers. Not when they could point to other crossover fights.
Even Muhammad Ali took a trip to the circus – in 1976, The Greatest faced Japanese wrestler Antonio Inoki in what was branded a ‘multi-million-dollar sham.’
This, on the other hand, was billed by our ring announcer as ‘the biggest fight of the year.’ The sad truth? In terms of global appeal, he was probably right. Such is the warped world of boxing.
As the first bell approached on Friday night, tickets for Joshua-Paul were online for just $11
But perhaps this was always the destination for a former YouTuber hell-bent on breaking into this sport.
The arc of content creation inevitably bends towards chaos. Towards greater and great extremes. These days, relevance relies on the constant pushing of boundaries.
The fear was that this would prove one step too far and serious damage could be done to his body and this sport.
In truth, neither suffered irreparable damage but no one came out unscathed.
