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Jake Paul's jaw dropped wide open, his expression turning to huge glazed saucers as he collapsed to the mat in shock and awe following a devastating right hand from Anthony Joshua. It appeared as if Paul was attempting to say "Wow!" as the severity of the impact sank in to his scrambled senses.

"Those watching didn't spend money to see this crap," said the referee, encapsulating the dismal affair much more effectively than any observer else managed to.

Trapped in a neutral corner of the ring midway through 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 enveloped him. Instead, as he attempted to withstand the punch that broke his jaw in two separate places, Paul was caught in an utterly dazed moment.

So that is what it is like, and looks, to be struck cleanly by a real professional fighter, an Olympic champion and ex- world heavyweight champion. "Wow" is certainly the appropriate term.

It was the fourth time the social media star had been knocked down, but the result of a clean power shot ensured Paul would not be able to rise and taunt his opponent before the referee waved the charade to a halt. As blood began to trickle from his mouth, and a numbing throb radiated through his jaw, Paul finally understood how hard, grueling, and dangerous boxing is at a decent level of professionalism.

An Unimpressive Impressive Win for Joshua

Joshua, it must be noted, was not impressive during the bedlam. After his empty victory, he performed a cut-throat motion that suggested a precise and lethal finish when, in truth, Joshua had cut a frustrated figure for most of the fight. Rather than exuding intimidation or displaying an iron certainty, Joshua had seemed hesitant and crude for nearly five stanzas.

Paul's poor fitness, which is a basic essential in elite boxing, dictated the result. Lacking the stamina to escape any longer, and resorting to falling to the deck as frequently as he could for a breather, Paul was left helpless by fatigue. Joshua delivered the vicious finish, but, up to that point, he had looked like a mournful imitation of the boxer he was in 2017.

The Winner's Aftermath Assessment

"That was not the finest display," Joshua conceded. "The end goal was to catch Jake Paul, corner him and do damage. That has been the plan, and that's what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the straight right finally found its destination."

Joshua commended Paul's courage but he added an excuse for his own stilted performance. "He came up against a genuine competitor tonight that's had a fifteen-month layoff," Joshua said, referencing his last loss. "We dusted off the cobwebs, and I am eager to roll into 2026."

The Future: Past Their Prime and Rising Stars

In the press conference afterwards, a cheerful Joshua tried out a woeful imitation of Tyson Fury as he called for a scrap against the currently retired boxer. Joshua will likely get his wish, but that bout comes much too late in their careers. Both men are on the far side of the peak.

In stark contrast, the most interesting big men in the world are the Ukrainian master and Moses Itauma. Usyk is still the unquestioned ruler of the weight class, after defeating both Joshua and Fury on two occasions. Meanwhile, Itauma is a rapidly ascending talent. The young British heavyweight would probably have required less than half the number of three-minute periods that Joshua needed to send Paul into a appropriately astonished stupor.

Paul's Defiant Reaction

But the public gets what the public desires, and that undoubtedly means additional pitiful celebrity fights. Paul appeared genuinely proud and cocky to have had his jaw broken by a sledgehammer right. In the wee hours of Saturday morning, he posted an radiograph, with the two fractures marked in red.

That lighthearted reference to the Mexican superstar, a far greater fighter than Joshua but a equally faded force, demonstrated that Paul's comic chutzpah remains undented. It might not be Canelo, but Paul will shortly locate someone else with whom he can earn north of $50 million.

During his in-ring interview, before leaving for the hospital, Paul expelled a streak of blood onto the ring floor. It was one more grim summary of the evening as Paul mangled harsh reality with blood-flecked bullshit and stated: "I think my jaw is broken. It's definitely broke. A proper ass-whipping from one of the best to ever do it. I love this sport and I'm going to come back and keep on winning."