Jake Paul Vs. Anthony Joshua Could Be Rigged as Ex-UFC Champ Claims It's a 'Spectacle' Match, Not a Real Fight

But, Stelring still respects Jake Paul after his jaw broke.

The boxing match between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua ended with blood, injury and a decisive knockout, yet questions continue to follow it days later.

The bout took place in Miami on 19 December 2025 and streamed worldwide on Netflix, drawing major attention because of the sharp contrast in experience between the two fighters. Joshua stopped Paul in the sixth round, leaving the YouTuber-turned-boxer with a broken jaw that later required surgery.

Despite that violent ending, critics remain unconvinced. The reason lies in how long the contest lasted and how Joshua appeared to approach it.

Those doubts grew louder after comments from a former UFC champion, who suggested the fight felt more like entertainment than a genuine sporting contest.

Ex-UFC Champ Not Convinced With Jake Paul Vs. Anthony Joshua

Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling publicly questioned the legitimacy of the contest during commentary on his YouTube channel. Sterling credited Paul for taking a major risk by facing a larger and far more decorated opponent.

He said Paul deserved some respect for stepping up against Joshua, an Olympic gold medallist and former two-time heavyweight world champion.

However, Sterling raised concerns about Joshua's approach inside the ring. He said the British boxer appeared to be holding back, despite his experience at the highest level. Sterling questioned why Joshua struggled to close the distance, asking whether an elite boxer had suddenly forgotten fundamental skills.

The former UFC champ stopped short of calling the bout fixed but suggested another explanation. 'I do not want to say rigged. I want to say there was an agreement,' he said.

He added that the fight lasted longer than expected for a reason, calling it 'a spectacle' rather than a real fight. Sterling also noted that former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya shared similar doubts.

Viewers Believed It Was Rigged

Sterling's comments echoed a wider reaction online. Many viewers claimed the fight looked controlled, arguing that Joshua should have ended it much earlier. Critics pointed to Joshua's superior power, skill, and experience compared with Paul, who has only been boxing professionally since 2020.

Social media speculation intensified after the bout, with some posts suggesting Joshua deliberately waited until the sixth round to stop Paul. One viral claim, which gathered around 200,000 likes, alleged that there was an understanding that Joshua would not knock Paul out early.

Jake Paul Threatens Lawsuit

Paul's camp has strongly rejected those accusations. Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, addressed the issue on Uncrowned's The Ariel Helwani Show three days after the fight. He said legal action was already under way.

'Our lawyers are actively going after a number of people,' Bidarian said, referring to online claims that alleged an agreement between the fighters. He described the accusations as astonishing and denied there was any arrangement to protect Paul.

Bidarian also addressed criticism from boxing promoter Lou DiBella, who suggested Joshua was not giving full effort. While Bidarian did not confirm whether DiBella would face legal action, he dismissed the claims as reckless.

What Happened To Paul Vs. Joshua Match

Inside the ring, the result was clear. Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul by knockout in the sixth round, handing Paul the second loss of his professional career and his first stoppage defeat. Paul later underwent surgery to repair a broken jaw.

The fight marked a significant step up for Paul, who had previously beaten Julio César Chávez Jr. by unanimous decision. For Joshua, the win followed his September 2024 loss to Daniel Dubois and expanded his profile in the US market.