Joshua breaks Paul’s jaw as heavyweight experiment ends in Miami defeat

Jake Paul suffered a fractured jaw in two places after his heavyweight bout against Anthony Joshua was stopped in Miami, bringing a bruising end to the American’s high-profile clash with the former two-time world champion, Sport360NG reports.

Paul, 28, lasted six rounds against the vastly more experienced Joshua, but the contest was halted after he failed to beat the count following a series of knockdowns. The YouTuber-turned-boxer was floored in both the fifth and sixth rounds before the referee stepped in.

Speaking after the fight, Paul said he believed his jaw was “definitely” broken, a diagnosis later supported by an X-ray image he shared on social media showing fractures along his jawline.

The injury ruled him out of attending the post-fight news conference, though Paul retained his trademark bravado, joking that he could still face four-weight world champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez “in 10 days”.

“A broken jaw is very common in combat sports, especially boxing or MMA,” said Nakisa Bidarian, chief executive of Most Valuable Promotions. “The recovery time is typically four to six weeks.”

Paul entered the bout as a heavy underdog and attempted to rely on movement and speed to avoid Joshua’s power. However, the mismatch in size and experience drew widespread criticism in the build-up, with Paul stepping up from his usual cruiserweight division to face a seasoned heavyweight.

The defeat has prompted Paul to reconsider his immediate future in the ring. He confirmed plans to take time away from boxing and return to competing at cruiserweight.

“We’ll heal the broken jaw, come back and fight people my weight,” Paul said. “I’m going for the cruiserweight world title. I’m going to take a little break, I’ve been going hard for six years.”

Before the Joshua fight, Paul had been campaigning at cruiserweight and was ranked 14th by the WBA earlier this year, later slipping to 15th. A return to that division now appears the most realistic route if he is to pursue his ambition of challenging for a world title.

Bidarian revealed Paul drove himself to hospital after the loss to have his jaw assessed and reiterated that a recovery period of up to six weeks is expected. Subject to medical clearance, Paul is unlikely to return to action until 2026.

Potential opponents at cruiserweight could include Manchester’s Pat Brown, who is unbeaten in five professional bouts and may welcome the exposure of a high-profile fight. Paul has also continued to voice interest in a blockbuster showdown with Alvarez, while a rematch with Tommy Fury, the only other loss on his record, remains an unresolved chapter.