Jake Paul’s boldest boxing gamble yet ended in painful fashion.
The YouTuber-turned-prizefighter confirmed Saturday that he suffered a double broken jaw following his sixth-round knockout loss to former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on Friday night in Miami — a result that marked the first knockout defeat of Paul’s professional career.
Paul revealed the injury by posting an X-ray image on Instagram, captioned: “Double broken jaw. Give me Canelo in 10 days.” The remark, delivered with characteristic bravado, underscored Paul’s defiant tone even after the most decisive loss of his boxing journey.
Paul Drives Himself to Hospital After Brutal Sixth-Round Knockout
Despite the severity of the injury, Paul showed little outward panic in the immediate aftermath.
Most Valuable Promotions CEO Nakisa Bidarian confirmed that Paul drove himself to the hospital after the fight.
“We think he broke his jaw. But he’s fine. He took a shower, he drove himself to the hospital,” Bidarian said during the post-fight news conference. “A broken jaw is very common in sports, particularly in boxing or MMA. The recovery time is four to six weeks.”
Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) was knocked down three times before referee intervention ended the bout in the sixth round. Bloodied and visibly shaken, Paul acknowledged ringside that he believed his jaw had been fractured.
Joshua’s Power Eventually Breaks Through Paul’s Defense
Early on, Paul attempted to survive through movement rather than engagement.
He spent the opening rounds circling, slipping punches and avoiding prolonged exchanges as Joshua patiently stalked him. The strategy bought Paul time — but little momentum.
Eventually, Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) found his opening.
Once the heavyweight contender landed a clean power shot, the bout tilted sharply. Joshua pressed forward, landing repeated heavy blows before sending Paul to the canvas multiple times in the sixth round, prompting the stoppage.
CompuBox statistics illustrated the gap. Joshua outlanded Paul 48-16 overall and dominated in power punches, connecting on 34 to Paul’s nine. Twenty-two of Joshua’s power shots landed in the final two rounds alone.
Size Disparity Loomed Large in Heavyweight Matchup
The physical mismatch between the two fighters was evident from the opening bell.
Joshua entered the ring weighing 26.8 pounds heavier, stood five inches taller, and possessed a six-inch reach advantage over Paul. It was Paul’s first bout against an active heavyweight contender.
His only previous heavyweight appearance came against Mike Tyson in November 2024, when Tyson was 58 years old.
Friday’s matchup, by contrast, placed Paul opposite a prime, battle-tested heavyweight still capable of championship-level power.
Paul Undeterred, Targets Cruiserweight Title After Recovery
Despite the loss and injury, Paul struck an optimistic tone afterward, saying the defeat would not derail his ambitions.
“I think my jaw is broken, by the way. It’s definitely broke,” Paul said post-fight. “That was good. Nice little a-whopping from one of the best to ever do it. I love this [expletive] and I’m going to come back and get a world championship belt.”
Paul said he plans to step away briefly before returning at cruiserweight.
“We will heal the broken jaw, come back and fight people my weight,” he said. “I’m going for the cruiserweight world title. I’m going to take a little break. I’ve been going hard for six years.”
From Viral Fighter to Legitimate Risk-Taker
Friday marked a turning point for Paul.
Until then, he had never been knocked out, with his lone prior defeat coming via split decision against Tommy Fury in February 2023. Facing Joshua represented the biggest leap in competition of his career — and the most dangerous.
Even in defeat, Paul closed the night true to form, calling out Canelo Álvarez, though such a matchup remains a dream he’s been chasing for so long.
But for now, Paul’s focus turns to recovery — both physical and professional — after discovering just how unforgiving heavyweight boxing can be.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jake Paul Posts X-Ray Showing Brutal Injury After KO Loss to Anthony Joshua appeared first on Heavy Sports.
