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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped agape, his eyes becoming huge glazed saucers as he sank to the canvas in shock and awe following a pulverising right hand from the former champion. It appeared as if Paul was attempting to utter "Whoa!" as the force of the impact registered to his rattled senses.

"The audience didn't pay to see this garbage," snapped the referee, summing up the sorry affair far more succinctly than anyone else managed to.

Pinned in a corner of the ring in the middle of the sixth round, Paul could not retreat or hold on to Joshua's legs like a forlorn little boy as the serious reality of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the shot that fractured his mandible in two separate places, Paul was lost in an completely stunned moment.

So that is what it feels, and looks, to be hit hard by a genuine professional fighter, an Olympic champion and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is indeed the appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been sent to the floor, but the consequences of a clean punch meant Paul would not be able to get up and waggle his tongue defiantly before the official waved the contest to a halt. As blood began to leak from his lips, and a numbing throb radiated through his jawbone, Paul finally understood how hard, exhausting, and perilous boxing is at a respectable standard of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Impressive Victory for Joshua

Anthony Joshua, it must be noted, was not impressive during the chaos. After his empty victory, he performed a throat-slitting gesture that hinted at a precise and lethal finish when, in truth, Joshua had appeared exasperated for most of the contest. Rather than exuding intimidation or displaying an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had seemed tentative and crude for almost five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, dictated the result. Without the gas to escape any longer, and reduced to slipping to the deck as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was left helpless by exhaustion. Joshua delivered the vicious ending, but, until then, he had seemed a mournful shadow of the boxer he had been in 2017.

The Winner's Aftermath Assessment

"That was not the finest performance," Joshua admitted. "The end goal was to get Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the request, and that's what was on my thoughts. It took a bit longer than anticipated, but the right hand finally found its target."

Joshua praised Paul's courage but he added an excuse for his own stilted performance. "He faced a real fighter tonight that's had a 15-month hiatus," Joshua said, referencing his previous defeat. "We shook off the cobwebs, and I am eager to roll into 2026."

The Future: Past Their Prime and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a cheerful Joshua attempted a poor imitation of his domestic rival as he demanded a fight against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will probably have his way, but that matchup comes far too late in their careers. Both fighters are on the downward slope of the hill.

In contrast, the most compelling heavyweights in the world remain Oleksandr Usyk and the British prospect. Usyk remains the unquestioned king of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury twice. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rising force. The young British heavyweight likely have needed less than half the amount of rounds that Joshua required to send Paul into a suitably wowed state.

Paul's Unbowed Response

But the fans receives what the public wants, and that undoubtedly means more low-quality crossover fights. Paul appeared truly proud and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a hammer-like right. In the early hours of Saturday morning, he shared an radiograph, with the pair of breaks marked in red.

That lighthearted nod to Saúl "Canelo" Álvarez, a much superior boxer than Joshua but a equally faded presence, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity remains undented. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate another opponent with whom he can make north of $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before leaving for the hospital, Paul expelled a tracer of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more bleak summary of the night as Paul mangled harsh reality with gory bullshit and stated: "I think my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A nice little beating from one of the best to ever do it. I love this sport and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."