In a spectacular fight, Anthony Joshua defeated Jake Paul in six rounds. Initially, Paul evaded Joshua’s advances by running around the ring until he eventually fell down. However, Joshua managed to catch up with him, knocking him down twice in the fifth round and once more in the sixth with a decisive right hand that led to the referee stopping the bout.
Joshua admitted it wasn’t his best performance but praised Paul for his resilience. He acknowledged Paul’s determination to keep getting up after each knockdown. Joshua emphasized his focus on achieving the goal of defeating Paul while avoiding any significant harm during the fight.
Joshua had accepted the fight offer for a substantial sum of £70 million after stepping in to replace Gervonta Davis, who was originally scheduled to face Paul but was removed due to personal allegations. Throughout the week leading up to the fight, Joshua appeared grateful for the opportunity and eager to showcase his skills in the ring.
The boxing community anticipated a swift and decisive victory, and Joshua demonstrated his seriousness from the moment he entered the ring, eschewing extravagant entrances. In contrast, Paul resorted to showmanship, playing to the crowd but struggling to evade Joshua’s advances.
Despite some early exchanges, with Paul landing a body shot and Joshua responding with jabs and uppercuts, Joshua gradually gained the upper hand. Paul resorted to holding and falling repeatedly, prompting warnings from the referee. However, the fight continued into the later rounds.
In the fifth round, Joshua finally began to dominate, knocking Paul down multiple times but showing respect for Paul’s resilience. Ultimately, in the sixth round, Joshua sealed the victory with a powerful right hand that ended the fight as the referee called a stoppage when Paul couldn’t beat the count.
Earlier in the event, Alycia Baumgardner successfully defended her super-featherweight world titles against Leila Beaudoin in a routine victory. Baumgardner showcased efficiency rather than flashiness, controlling the fight and scoring a knockdown in the seventh round. Meanwhile, Anderson Silva defeated Tyron Woodley in a battle of UFC legends, with Silva’s decisive blows leading to a stoppage in the second round.
In a separate bout, Caroline Dubois retained her lightweight world title by outpointing Camilla Pannata. The London fighter showcased her skills, dropping Pannata en-route to a points victory in an impressive performance.