anthony Joshua broke Jake Paul’s jaw during a sixth-round knockout victory on Friday, December 19, 2025, in a Netflix main event. The decisive blow sent Paul too the hospital for surgery and a temporary liquid diet.
A Surprisingly Durable Performance
Few boxing analysts predicted Paul would last beyond two rounds against the formidable Joshua. Yet, the social media star managed to withstand four additional rounds, absorbing four knockdowns before the fight was stopped.The bout, while not a classic, proved Paul’s resilience, even in defeat.
Immediately after the fight, Paul indicated a broken jaw. A subsequent video posted online showed a disturbing misalignment of his teeth, confirming his suspicions. He later shared a photo from his hospital bed, revealing the need for tooth removal and the fitting of two titanium plates to stabilize his jaw.
“Just got out of surgery. Everything went smooth,” Paul wrote. “Thanks for all the love. Lots of pain and stiffness. Gotta eat liquids for 7 days.”
An X-ray confirmed the extent of the damage: fractures in two places within Paul’s jawbone.
Joshua’s Win, a Mixed Bag
Joshua’s sixth-round stoppage, however, sparked debate. Prior to the fight,he expressed that anything less than a first-round knockout would be considered a failure. While he ultimately secured the win, he struggled to land clean, impactful shots until paul visibly slowed down in the fourth round.
Paul can take some solace in outlasting former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou,who was knocked unconscious by Joshua in a previous bout. He also avoided a knockout, a fate suffered by many of Joshua’s opponents. Though, his largely defensive strategy – focused on avoiding engagement, clinching, and stalling – likely won’t inspire confidence in his aspirations to become a cruiserweight world champion.
Did you know? – Anthony Joshua’s quickest professional win was against Dylan Whyte in 2015, finishing the bout in just 7 seconds.
Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) has publicly called for a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury. Paul (12-2, 7 KOs), despite this second professional loss, remains resolute to pursue a cruiserweight world championship title.
