Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua defeated YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul with a sixth-round knockout in their much-hyped Netflix-backed bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami on Friday.

The fight, reportedly worth a combined $184 million purse, drew widespread criticism ahead of time because of the clear disparity in experience, size and pedigree between Joshua, a two-time world champion, and Paul, who built his boxing profile through novelty bouts. Despite predictions of an early stoppage, Joshua took time to assert his dominance in the eight-round contest.

The bout was scrappy and uneven, with Paul repeatedly hitting the canvas and resorting to clinching and grappling, prompting visible frustration from referee Christopher Young, who at one point rebuked the fighters for the lack of action.

As Paul began to fade, Joshua’s superior power told. The Briton knocked the American down twice in the fifth round before sealing the fight in the sixth, backing Paul into a corner and finishing him with a crushing right hand to the chin.

“It wasn’t the best performance, but the goal was to pin him down and hurt him,” Joshua said afterwards. “It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally landed.”

Joshua also commended Paul’s resilience. “He kept getting up and trying to find a way,” he said. “That takes heart.”

Paul, bloodied after the stoppage, said he suspected his jaw was broken but remained upbeat. “I gave it my all,” he said. “Anthony is one of the best ever. I just got tired handling his weight. He hits really hard.”

The fight marked Joshua’s first outing in 15 months. He landed 48 of 146 punches, compared to Paul’s 16 successful strikes. Joshua now appears set to pursue a lucrative showdown with fellow former world champion Tyson Fury in 2026, declaring himself ready for the challenge.