Anthony Joshua has defeated Jake Paul through a sixth-round stoppage tonight at the Kaseya Center in Miami, broadcast live on Netflix.
The opening round saw Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) work the perimeter of the ring off the back foot, largely avoiding the imposing Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) for the full three minutes. Little happened other than Joshua landing a shot to the body and Paul landing a relatively soft overhand right.
A body shot by Paul opened round two, but was caught with a glancing Joshua right hand. The Englishman loaded up a wild left hook but was way off the mark. Paul feinted to attack the body, then finally attacked, but was far from hitting the target. Paul tied Joshua up for much of the final minute, which brought a ringing “boo” from the crowd. Joshua was maintaining his composure despite his work being smothered by Paul, yet the former two-time heavyweight world champion couldn’t quite cut the ring off to launch any sustained type of attack.
Paul landed a left hook to start round three, but there wasn’t too much on it. Paul again tied Joshua up for large parts of the round. However, Joshua was struggling to land anything clean.
Paul slumped to the floor twice at the start of the fourth following some exchanging jabs with Joshua. The crowd booed on both occasions. Paul was on the canvas a third time following another minute. Believe it or not, he was on the floor a fourth time, claiming a low blow following an audacious attempt at an uppercut. Paul took an age to return after a pause. The blogger would hit the floor for the fifth and final time as Joshua responded to the man holding on to his lower legs with some body shots, where he was warned by the referee.
It would take just 45 seconds for Paul to find himself on the canvas again in the fifth, but again, it was a fall disguised by the American’s smothering tactics. Finally! A legitimate knockdown came from a body shot moments later. Another straight shot to the body had him on the canvas again just moments later. However, Paul would land an overhand right on the ropes. Joshua went for a vicious finish to close the round, but the bell saved Paul.
Joshua jabbed the body and went for the head shot to open the sixth round, and moments later, Paul would find himself on the canvas (for a knockdown) for a third time. Joshua could sense the end was close as he teed off on Paul’s head, which was meant by the American sticking his tongue out.
The finish came with Paul retreating into the corner as Joshua landed a left jab to the body and detonated a straight right to the head. Paul slumped to his feet as the referee counted him out at 1:31 of the sixth round.
Co-Main
Alycia Baumgarder made a successful defence of her IBF, WBA, and WBO super featherweight titles with a unanimous-decision victory against Quebec’s Leila Beaudoin.
The fight was sanctioned as a 12-round contest with three-minute rounds. It was the first time either woman had fought at this distance. The judges scored the contest 117-110, 117-110, and 118-109.
The opening two rounds saw very little action until Baumgardner attempted to launch her right hand, but both shots were glancing. Baumgardner started the third round much more brightly with an effective double jab. Beaudoin made attempts to attack the body, but Baumgardner was too elusive off the back foot. The round closed with the American landing a good overhand right around the guard.
Baumgardner took the center of the ring to start the fourth, but the Canadian pushed back to hold her ground. The pair traded midway through the session with Beaudoin hitting the canvas, but it was ruled a push by the referee. Both women ended the round much as they started it, jabbing behind a high guard to little effect.
Beaudoin had success with a straight hand to open the fifth, which forced Baumgardner into action with a combination. The Canadian had more success as the round closed with a clever right hand to the chin on the inside. The shot appeared to hurt Baumgardner as she held on for a few seconds.
The fight saw some action in the sixth, with both women having success. Baumgardner caught her opponent with a left jab-tight right combination early in the round. However, Beaudoin produced her own flashy combination to the head in the final thirty seconds.
The fight’s pace slowed in the seventh with both fighters trying to feint their way into a position to attack, but the bell brought an end to a dull three minutes. However, there was a big moment in the seventh round as Beaudoin hit the canvas from a counter right hand. The Canadian made the count, but Baumgardner was in a strong position.
The fight lit fire again in the eleventh as both women pushed the pace on the front foot. The story was much the same in the twelfth and final round, but it was Beaudoin who was coming out on top in the majority of exchanges. The pair traded until the final bell, with Baumgardner landing a good right hand seconds before the close.
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