If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a Goldman Sachs executive steps into a street brawl with a lad who’s watched three episodes of Peaky Blinders, Friday night in Miami provided your answer. The Kaseya Center played host to “Judgment Day,” a title that felt increasingly literal for Jake Paul as he spent eight rounds discovering that Anthony Joshua is, in fact, quite large.
The match was the ultimate “curiosity killed the cat” event. We all knew what should happen, a former two time unified heavyweight champion should probably beat a man whose CV includes “Vine Star” but in the era of Netflix boxing, we’ve learned to expect the surreal.
The Great Miami Marathon
The fight began with Paul adopting a strategy best described as “tactical fleeing.” For the first few rounds, the American used the oversized ring to showcase his cardio, skittering along the perimeter like a shopper trying to find the last bottle of wine on Christmas Eve.
Joshua, showing the kind of patience usually reserved for parents of toddlers, spent the early rounds shaking off 15 months of ring rust. Lennox Lewis later remarked on Netflix that AJ looked “rusty,” but honestly, when your opponent is essentially doing a HIIT workout in the opposite corner, it’s hard to find a rhythm.
By the fourth round, the comedy of errors peaked. Paul appeared to be auditioning for a role in a slapstick silent film, slipping to the canvas no fewer than three times. At one point, he even attempted what looked suspiciously like a rugby tackle on Joshua’s knees. It wasn’t exactly Raging Bull; it was more Bambi on Ice.
The Breakdown
Reality finally caught up with the influencer in the fifth. Joshua decided he’d seen enough of Miami’s scenery and began “the systematic breakdown.” Paul was dropped twice once by a stinging left and again by a right hand that seemed to remind him he was in a professional boxing match, not a TikTok transition.
The end came in the sixth. Despite Paul’s valiant (if slightly delusional) attempts to stick his tongue out and mock the man who can bench press a small car, a thundering straight right from AJ brought the curtain down. Paul didn’t beat the count, and for a moment, the arena held its breath mostly hoping the “Problem Child” hadn’t become the “Emergency Room Patient.”
What They Said (Through the Swelling)
After the fight, the vibes were surprisingly cordial:
Anthony Joshua: “It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its destination.” Translation: I forgot my keys for a bit, but I got into the house eventually.
Jake Paul: “I think my jaw is broken, by the way.” He said this right before spitting blood, proving that while he might not have the belt, he certainly has the dramatic timing.
The Verdict: Joshua moves to 29 wins and immediately turned his sights to a 2026 showdown with Tyson Fury, telling the Gypsy King to step up “if you’re a real bad boy.”
Final Thoughts
While the $184 million purse ensures Paul can afford a very high quality prosthetic jaw, the fight served as a stark reminder: there are levels to this game. You can disrupt the industry, you can change the marketing, and you can definitely sell the tickets but you can’t “disrupt” a 6’6″ Olympian’s right hook.
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