Anthony Joshua left Jake Paul with devastating injuries after breaking the American’s jaw in two places during their heavyweight fight in Miami.
This clearly underlined the gulf in power and experience between the former two-time world champion and the YouTuber-turned-boxer.
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The BBC reports Paul has since undergone surgery, with two titanium plates fitted to stabilise his jaw and several teeth removed following the damage inflicted by Joshua’s punches.
The 28-year-old was stopped in the sixth round after failing to beat the referee’s count, having been dropped repeatedly as Joshua’s sustained pressure finally overwhelmed him.
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The severity of the injury became clear immediately after the bout, with Paul admitting in his post-fight comments that his jaw was “definitely” broken.
He later confirmed the successful surgery in a social media update, sharing an X-ray that revealed a double fracture along his jawline.
“Surgery went well thanks for all the love and support,” Paul wrote on Instagram. “Have to have only liquids for seven days.”
Joshua’s heavy right hands were central to the damage, with the Nigerian-born fighter repeatedly finding his target in the later rounds.
Paul was knocked down twice across the fifth and sixth rounds, each time struggling to regain his footing as Joshua closed in with decisive intent.
Despite the seriousness of the injury forcing him to miss the post-fight news conference, Paul attempted to lighten the mood, joking that he could still face Mexican superstar Saul Canelo Alvarez “in 10 days”.
The Joshua vs Jake Paul bout had drawn criticism even before it took place, with concerns raised about the weight disparity and experience gap between the fighters.
Paul, who has spent most of his career at cruiserweight, attempted to rely on speed and movement, but Joshua’s power ultimately proved decisive.
Following the defeat, Paul acknowledged that he would reassess his path in boxing, particularly after facing the full force of Joshua’s punching.
“We will heal the broken jaw, come back and fight people my weight. I’m going for the cruiserweight world title,” he said.
READ ALSO: Anthony Joshua knocks out Jake Paul in Miami, calls out Tyson Fury
He also confirmed plans to step away from the ring temporarily.
“I’m going to take a little break. I’ve been going hard for six years.”
Before the Joshua fight, Paul had been set to enter the World Boxing Association rankings at cruiserweight and slipped one place following the loss.
A return to the division appears likely once he is cleared to compete in 2026.
For now, Paul’s focus is on recovery after a brutal lesson delivered in the ring by a rejuvenated Anthony Joshua, who, around this time last year, was in Nigeria for “Detty December.”
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