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Anthony Joshua knocks out Jake Paul in heavyweight fight

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Grant Grubbs | Last updated Dec 20, 2025 1:51 AM ET

On Friday, Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul via knockout in the sixth round. As a two-time heavyweight world champion, Joshua entered the fight as the heavy favorite.

Joshua looked the part for much of the fight. Paul utilized the spacious ring, especially in the early rounds, to minimize clashes with Joshua. He largely stuck near the ropes, rarely willing to come within range of the towering Joshua.

Alas, as the fight progressed and Paul fatigued, the pair began to exchange punches more often. The exchanges often ended with Paul clinching Joshua, who laid his body weight on the Ohio native.

Anthony Joshua’s strategy took its toll. Paul eventually struggled to stand due to exhaustion. In the fourth round, the official had to reprimand Paul for his repetitive falls. Ultimately, Joshua poured on the pressure and knocked Paul out in the sixth round.

Despite entering the fight as a massive underdog, Paul never lacked confidence. Ahead of the match, he compared the fight to a famous biblical story.

anthony joshua knockout; jake paul vs anthony joshua pic.twitter.com/I5ZmaUEwAZ
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“I’ve studied David and Goliath going into this fight,” Paul told ESPN. “There’s a split-second moment where Goliath draws back his arrow, and that’s when David can hit him. I believe the same thing will happen here. There’s going to be a moment when Joshua is exposed, and I know I have the power to be able to beat him.”

With the loss, Paul fell to 12-2 in his professional boxing career. He entered the fight on a six-fight win streak. Paul’s only previous heavyweight fight was against Mike Tyson, who was 58 years old at the time of the bout. Paul won via decision.

While Joshua has far more boxing experience than Jake Paul—boasting a 28-4 professional record—he was coming off a loss. Before Friday, Joshua’s last fight was in September 2024, when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois in the fifth round.

Though Paul was unable to bring home the upset win, he’ll be handsomely compensated for his efforts. The reported purse for the fight was $184 million, with each fighter taking home $92 million.

Of course, it’s possible the purse was even greater. In a tweet in November, Jake Paul claimed the purse was $267 million. It’s a massive pay raise for Joshua, who reportedly received nearly $8 million from his fight with Dubois.

It’s unclear what’s next for Joshua. However, he called out former heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury following the fight. Meanwhile, Paul said he will continue to fight, but is expecting to take a lengthy break from the ring.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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