Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua
X/ @netflix

Jake Paul was rushed to the hospital with a broken jaw following his brutal sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua on Friday night, but the YouTuber-turned-boxer immediately vowed to return and pursue a cruiserweight world championship.

Paul's co-promoter Nakisa Bidarian confirmed to reporters that the 28-year-old was hospitalised to treat the injury, with an expected recovery period of four to six weeks, according to Yahoo Sports.

'I think my jaw is broken by the way, so... yeah. It's definitely broke,' Paul told Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani immediately after the fight at Miami's Kaseya Center. 'Man, that was good. Nice little arse-whooping from one of the best to ever do it.'

The injury marks a harsh reality check for Paul, who suffered his first-ever stoppage loss in his 14-fight career. Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua knocked Paul down four times across rounds five and six before the referee waved off the contest.

Vows to Continue Boxing Career

Despite the devastating defeat, Paul insisted he had no intention of retiring from boxing. 'Oh yeah, for sure I'm going to keep fighting,' he stated, according to CBS Sports. 'We're going to heal the broken jaw, come back and fight people my weight - go for the cruiserweight world title.'

The American revealed he plans to take an extended break before returning to the ring. 'I'm going to take a little break. I've been going hard for six years, so I'm going to take some time off,' Paul said.

Weight Difference Proved Decisive

Paul's admission about the weight difference proved telling. Joshua weighed in at 243.4 pounds whilst Paul tipped the scales at just 216.6 pounds - a 27-pound gap that ultimately proved insurmountable.

'I just got tired to be honest,' Paul explained in aNewsweek report. 'It was just so much handling his weight. I think if I had better cardio, I could've kept it up and kept on fighting, but he did amazing.'

How the Fight Unfolded

The fight began cautiously, with Paul managing to survive the opening four rounds through constant movement and clinching. But Joshua turned up the pressure in round five, dropping Paul twice and leaving him visibly exhausted.

The end came in round six when Joshua landed a devastating right hand that sent Paul crashing to the canvas for the final time. The referee immediately waved off the fight without administering a count.

Paul's record now stands at 12-2 with seven knockouts. His only previous defeat came via split decision against Tommy Fury in February 2023.

Despite the one-sided nature of the loss, Paul maintained his love for the sport. 'I'm feeling good. That was fun. I love this sport. I gave it my all,' he said, according to Yahoo Sports. 'Anthony's a great fighter. I got my arse beat. That's what this sport is about. I'm going to come back and keep on winning.'

Paul also showed respect for Joshua's performance whilst acknowledging the beating he took. 'I love this s***, and I'm going to come back and get a world championship belt at some point,' he declared.

Cruiserweight Title Ambitions

The YouTuber is currently ranked number 14 in the WBA cruiserweight division, despite fighting above that weight class against Joshua. The cruiserweight limit sits at 200 pounds, significantly lighter than the heavyweight division where Joshua competes.

Paul's previous victories include wins over 58-year-old Mike Tyson, 39-year-old Julio César Chávez Jr, and former UFC fighters Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley. Critics have long questioned the legitimacy of these wins given his opponents' ages and fighting backgrounds.

The loss to Joshua represents Paul's first encounter with an elite heavyweight in his physical prime, and the result was emphatic. Joshua outlanded Paul 48-16 in total punches across six rounds, according to CompuBox statistics.

Joshua Eyes Fury Showdown

For Joshua, the victory marked a successful return after 15 months away from the ring. The British fighter immediately called out long-time rival Tyson Fury for a potential 2026 mega-fight.

'If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is and he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves, step in the ring with me next if you're a real bad boy,' Joshua declared post-fight.

The fight streamed globally on Netflix as part of the platform's continued push into live sports programming. Paul's Most Valuable Promotions partnered with Netflix for the event, which attracted massive worldwide attention despite criticism about the competitive mismatch.

Paul's immediate future now involves medical treatment and rehabilitation before he can consider his next move in the cruiserweight division.

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