The knockout loss to Anthony Joshua halted the Jake Paul juggernaut. True to form, however, the YouTube-turned-boxer brushed off the defeat while setting his sights on a cruiserweight championship. The broken jaw became a badge of honor. Nakisa Bidarian claims Jake won two rounds before Joshua stopped him in the sixth. To skeptics, the claim amounts to wishful thinking. An attempt to reclaim relevance.

Does Jake Paul and his team need to try this hard? Fans aside, even some pundits applauded his showing against Anthony Joshua, one of the best heavyweights of this era. Lennox Lewis, who joined Andre Ward and Laila Ali on commentary, was impressed. Like most, he expected the outcome. Still, by standing his ground until Joshua’s experience and pedigree prevailed, Jake earned some credit.

Standing tall: Jake Paul wins praise vs. Anthony Joshua

While exiting the Kaseya Center, Lewis, who held the heavyweight division’s undisputed title before Oleksandr Usyk, was mobbed by reporters. Most sought his opinion on Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua. To the boxing great, who defeated Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, Jake lasting six rounds was praiseworthy.

“We didn’t think it was going to go six rounds,” Lewis admitted. Echoing a common belief, he expected the fight to end by the second round. “So, the fact that he made six rounds is an accomplishment for Jake Paul,” he added.

Lewis also credited the night’s winner, Anthony Joshua, for staying in shape. The former unified champion entered the bout after a 15-month layoff. He last lost a title fight to Daniel Dubois and later underwent elbow surgery.

“So this (Jake Paul fight) is like a little warm-up for him, and he needed it,” Lewis stated. But not everyone shared that view.

Jake Paul: Winning in defeat?

Dan Rafael dismissed Bidarian’s two-round claim as a “comedy of the highest order.” Expanding on his criticism, the veteran boxing writer added, “There’s a fine line between not being reckless and outright flight. He elected flight and flop for the first 4 rounds. Then got nailed.”

The truth likely lies somewhere in between.

As Rafael suggested, the notion that Paul won rounds against Joshua strains credibility. The early rounds saw Jake circling excessively, tripping, and clinching, testing referee Christopher Young’s patience before earning a warning.

To boxing purists, he never posed a serious threat to Joshua. Once his gas tank emptied, Jake drifted into AJ’s punching range and struggled to escape. Only Joshua’s sustained attack ended the contest.

After the exhibition against Gervonta Davis, which ultimately caved in, Jake Paul raised eyebrows by calling out Anthony Joshua. He may not have fought as purists expected, but comparisons are unavoidable. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou was stopped in the second round, while Jake lasted nearly eight rounds against the same opponent.

Does Jake Paul deserve credit for stepping into the ring with Anthony Joshua, or do the lingering criticisms still apply?