The central question heading into Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua went something like this: What will it look like to watch a YouTuber-turned-professional boxer fight a two-time unified heavyweight champion and former Olympic gold medalist with more than double the experience?
The answer: A hybrid boxing-wrestling match? But in the end, the result everyone expected.
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It might’ve taken longer than Joshua wanted, but after chasing Paul around the ring for the majority of five-plus rounds, he eventually landed the kill shot and knocked out Paul in the sixth to win their heavyweight bout at Kaseya Center in Miami.
“It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination,” Joshua said in the ring afterward.
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Paul landed a few notable punches during the fight, but he appeared interested in only surviving all eight rounds. Despite taking some punishment, Paul’s antics were present. He taunted Joshua with faces several times that he dodged big, winging punches. And he repeatedly resorted to shooting weak takedowns when Joshua closed distance and started landing.
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Paul’s plan worked for only so long –until the fifth when the referee ruled he was knocked down twice. By the start of the sixth, Paul appeared to be exhausted and no longer had his legs working for him, which opened the door for Joshua to finish.
“I need to give this guy a systematic breakdown,” Joshua said. “I know what type of fighter he is, and I said I need to take his soul. I said I’m gonna see it leaving his body round after round, and when the time comes, some people are just there to get knocked out.”
More: ‘Cool to see it’s real’: Fighters react to Anthony Joshua’s TKO of Jake Paul
Paul said afterward that he thinks he broke his jaw. His manager, Nakisa Bidarian, said Paul is looking at a recovery time of four to six weeks.
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As for Joshua, he called out Tyson Fury. “Step in the ring with me next if you’re a real bad boy,” Joshua said.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Anthony Joshua pummels Jake Paul, knocks him out in sixth
