Jake Paul has made his next move clear after suffering a sixth-round knockout at the hands of former heavyweight world champion, Anthony Joshua, announcing intentions to target the cruiserweight division despite the punishing defeat.
The YouTuber-turned-professional boxer absorbed heavy punishment in Miami before Joshua delivered a clean right hand that ended a one-sided bout in the sixth round.
Paul was knocked down four times before the referee waved off the contest.
The damage was immediate: he was diagnosed with a double broken jaw and transported straight to a hospital, missing the post-fight press conference entirely.
Despite the brutal ending, Paul left the ring on his feet and posted an X-ray from the hospital confirming his injuries, alongside a challenge to another elite fighter: “Double broken jaw. Give me Canelo [Alvarez] in 10 days.”
In a statement shortly after the fight, Marca reports that Paul acknowledged the punishment he had taken while praising his opponent, “I think my jaw is broken, by the way. It’s definitely broke.
“But that was a nice little a* whopping from one of the best to ever do it. I love this s***, but I’m going to come back and get a championship belt at some time. I’m feeling good, that was fun.
“I love this sport. I gave it my all. It’s fing crazy. I had a blast. I got my a beat, but that’s what this sport is about. I’m going to come back and keep on winning.”
From the opening round, Joshua controlled the fight with precision, dictating distance, selecting his shots carefully, and forcing Paul into retreat.
Cameras captured Paul checking his jaw in the ring after the stoppage, highlighting the severity of the injuries that sent him immediately for medical care.
Financially, the fight was a success, with reports indicating that both fighters earned an equal share of £140 million from the Netflix broadcast, underscoring the commercial appeal of the matchup despite the one-sided outcome.
Following the loss, Paul, 28, confirmed that his next ambition lies in the cruiserweight division at 200 pounds.
He stated that talks are underway with reigning champions and named potential opponents.
He said, “Zurdo [Ramirez] and Jai are probably tied for No1 and I would say Badou [Jack] is No2.
“But all formidable opponents and we’re in conversations with Zurdo and also Badou as potential fights for next year.”
Paul acknowledged the reality of his future challengers in the division: each presents a different style from heavyweight bouts, trading raw power for speed, volume, and technical skill.
He also explained why Australian pound-for-pound standout Jai Opetaia was not a firm target.
“It might line up but at the end of the day, there’s 100 people that want to fight me,” Paul explained.
Although the knockout was a sobering reminder of the gulf between an established heavyweight champion and a relative newcomer, Paul’s ambitions remain undeterred.
Cruiserweight, he insists, offers a division where world titles are attainable and his career can continue to grow.
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