Anthony Joshua finally did what was expected of him. Though the win came a bit late, still, the sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul reaffirms his return to the win column. For the American, however, it could be back to square one. For the second time in his career, Paul faced an active boxer, and despite different circumstances, the result echoed his loss to Tommy Fury. He is likely to continue fending off doubts and questions regarding the caliber of opponents he chooses to face.

Let there be no doubt: the former Disney star gave a solid account of himself. From the opening round, Jake Paul used his movement well, running circles around the former heavyweight champion and evading AJ’s feared right hand. However, as the fight progressed, Joshua’s experience and pedigree began to assert themselves. By the fourth round, it became increasingly clear which way the contest was tilting. After suffering two knockdowns in the fifth, Paul’s resistance finally ended in the sixth. A flurry of shots from Anthony Joshua dropped him in the corner. Later, as he spoke with Ariel Helwani, it appeared AJ may have hurt him in more ways than initially imagined.

A costly night for Jake Paul

Looking composed and calm, with little visible sign of the battle he had endured, Jake Paul first thanked his family, his fiancée Jutta Leerdam, and his fans. But just as he seemed ready to continue, he abruptly interjected, “I think my jaw is broken,” before spitting blood from his mouth.

“It’s definitely broken,” he added. Still, the pain barely seemed to perturb him. After all, he had lost to one of the best in the business. The defeat appeared only to have invigorated his zeal to return and pursue a shot at a world championship.

Speaking about the fight later, Paul explained that fatigue played a big role. Given the sheer weight disparity between him and AJ, he admitted he had too much on his plate. “I think if I could have had better cardio, I think I could have kept it up and kept on fighting,” he stated.

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Later, when Ariel Helwani posed the million-dollar question, “Do you want to keep going? Do you want to keep fighting?” Jake’s response was unequivocal. “Oh yeah, for sure.”

Still, Jake Paul’s stock remains strong

Once his jaw has healed, Paul asserted that he will return to training and attempt to earn a shot at the cruiserweight title. Skeptics may be having a field day. The lead-up to the fight saw Jake make bold claims about delivering the biggest upset boxing had witnessed since Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson.

Instead, Paul came up short against a former heavyweight champion who remains active.

Yet, despite the knockdowns and the eventual knockout, by pushing AJ into the sixth round, Paul may have strengthened, rather than weakened, his claim to boxing legitimacy. He showed that he can absorb punishment and stand his ground against a high-caliber fighter. He can fight, and he can entertain.

“Jake doesn’t go the eight-round distance, but he proves he’s got mettle and a better chin than Francis Ngannou,” Ring Magazine’s Douglas Fischer wrote.

As a result, fans should expect to hear from boxing’s “Problem Child” again soon. He may have suffered a broken jaw, but he may also have won over many more hearts. Fans now applaud his grit and expect him to continue his boxing journey with renewed force and vigor.

Who would you like to see Jake Paul fight next?