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The YouTuber-turned-fighter's mouth gaped agape, his expression turning to wide, stunned circles as he collapsed to the canvas in shock and awe following a devastating right hand from Anthony Joshua. It appeared as if Paul was trying to say "Whoa!" as the severity of the blow registered to his scrambled senses.

"Those watching didn't spend money to see this crap," said the referee, summing up the sorry affair much more succinctly than any observer else could.

Trapped 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 in a desperate clinch as the serious reality of the sweet science became clear. Instead, as he tried to absorb the shot that fractured his mandible in two distinct locations, Paul was lost in an completely stunned moment.

So this is how it feels, and appears, to be hit hard by a genuine professional fighter, an Olympic gold medallist and former world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is certainly the word.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been sent to the floor, but the consequences of a clean power shot meant Paul could not rise and taunt his opponent before the official waved the contest to a halt. As blood began to leak from his mouth, and a numbing throb radiated through his jaw, Paul finally grasped how hard, grueling, and perilous boxing is at a decent standard of professionalism.

A Far From Commanding Win for the Victor

Joshua, it should be stressed, was far from convincing during the chaos. After his empty victory, he made a cut-throat motion that suggested a precise and deadly finish when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for the majority of the contest. Rather than glowering with menace or displaying an unshakeable confidence, Joshua had appeared tentative and crude for nearly five rounds.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a fundamental requirement in top-level boxing, shaped the result. Without the gas to flee any more, and resorting to slipping to the deck as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was rendered defenseless by exhaustion. Joshua delivered the vicious ending, but, until then, he had seemed a mournful imitation of the fighter he was in 2017.

The Winner's Post-Fight Assessment

"That was not the finest display," Joshua conceded. "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 thoughts. It took a little more time than anticipated, but the straight right eventually reached its target."

Joshua commended Paul's courage but he added an explanation for his own stilted performance. "He faced a real fighter tonight that's had a fifteen-month hiatus," Joshua said, mentioning his previous loss. "We shook off the cobwebs, and I can't wait to head into 2026."

What Comes Next: Faded Forces and New Talent

In the post-fight interview that followed, a cheerful Joshua tried out a poor imitation of Tyson Fury as he called for a fight against the presently inactive boxer. Joshua will likely have his way, but that bout comes far too late in their professional journeys. Both fighters are on the far side of the peak.

In contrast, the most compelling big men in the world are Oleksandr Usyk and the British prospect. Usyk is still the undoubted king of the division, after defeating both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rapidly ascending talent. The young British heavyweight would probably have required fewer than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua needed to knock Paul into a appropriately wowed state.

Paul's Unbowed Reaction

But the fans receives what the public desires, and that undoubtedly means more low-quality celebrity contests. Paul seemed genuinely satisfied and brash to have had his mandible fractured by a hammer-like right. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, he shared an radiograph, with the pair of breaks highlighted in red.

That jokey nod to the Mexican superstar, a far greater fighter than Joshua but a similarly faded presence, demonstrated that Paul's brazen audacity remains unbroken. It may not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly find another opponent with whom he can make more than $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before departing to the medical facility, Paul spat a tracer of blood onto the ring floor. It was another bleak summary of the evening as Paul mangled harsh reality with blood-flecked bullshit and stated: "I believe my jaw is broken. It's certainly broke. A proper beating from one of the greatest to ever do it. I love this sport and I'm going to return and continue winning."