Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua overwhelmed Jake Paul, scoring multiple knockdowns before a sixth-round knockout in Miami.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t call it an Ali-Liston shock the world moment, but it was David and Goliath and the giant won this one, by knockout on Friday.<\/p>\n
Heavyweight slugger Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul.<\/p>\n
Under a Miami night a boxing card featuring a former heavyweight champion, several female world champions and a worldwide audience witnessed the interesting conglomeration. But mostly, fans wanted to see a predicted knockout win and it came.<\/p>\n
England\u2019s Joshua (29-4, 26 Kos) a former heavyweight champion knocked down Paul (12-1, 7 Kos) several times before finalizing it on Friday before more than 18,000 fans at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to give Paul his respect. But he came against a real fighter tonight,\u201d said Joshua.<\/p>\n
It was a match pieced together within a month\u2019s span by Paul and Most Valuable Promotions after Gervonta \u201cTank\u201d Davis the original scheduled foe got into trouble with the law. A call was made to Joshua and the two-time heavyweight champion accepted.<\/p>\n
The boxing world was aghast.<\/p>\n
But those fans who follow Paul\u2019s career were not surprised nor was Netflix the media streaming giant. They had gambled and won heavily when Paul fought Mike Tyson and they eagerly accepted this match.<\/p>\n
Joshua, a well-known giant of a man at 6\u20196\u201d in height with a reputation for eye-catching knockouts, also has a reputation as an audience pleaser worldwide, but especially in the United Kingdom. The two mixed together was dynamite.<\/p>\n
Once the fight was made boxing critics and experts predicted a knockout for Joshua. But social media fans expected Paul to continue his success that began with former pro athletes, bare knuckle fighters, MMA champions and a former boxing world champ. Maybe, just maybe, Paul could notch another victory as he accomplished this past June against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.<\/p>\n
Not this time.<\/p>\n
Just as he did against this past June against Chavez, social media star Paul prepared diligently to use his movement and speed afoot to keep Joshua from zeroing in with his concussive punching power.<\/p>\n
For three rounds Paul moved swiftly out of range against the much bigger Joshua and even managed to land a few blows. But when Joshua closed in hard during the fourth round Paul\u2019s legs gave out and he crumbled to the floor with a look of weariness. Once the action resumed, Paul crumbled to the floor again and again five times in total. The referee gave him a five minute rest for a supposed low blow. No low blow had been attempted.<\/p>\n
Fans and the boxing announcer were displeased by Paul\u2019s tactics and that the referee was allowing it.<\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n
Joshua saw enough to know when a foe is tired or not. The large muscular British fighter zeroed in for the kill in the fifth round with wicked blows to the body. Paul\u2019s guard came down. Another blow sent Paul to the floor and this time the referee called it a knockdown. The fight resumed and Joshua smelled the finish and during an exchange Paul connected and Joshua connected but down went Paul from a left hook. The blonde fighter got up and finished the round.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just got tired. If I had better cardio,\u201d said Paul about the knockdowns. \u201cHe did amazing. He hits really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
The crowd roared anticipating a knockout now. In the sixth round Joshua went toward Paul almost with a smile. Though the smaller fighter tried to fight his way out of trouble he no longer had the legs to move. His only option was a knockout and when he tried he came into range of Joshua who knew exactly what to do. A right cross caught Paul and down he went. Amazingly he got up and the fight continued but Joshua stalked him quickly and cornered the blonde. Paul connected with an overhand right, but Joshua ignored the blow and delivered his own crunching right to the chin and down went Paul. He would not beat the count of 10 and the crowd erupted in cheers and some boos. The fight ended at 1:31 of the sixth round.<\/p>\n
Joshua was declared the winner by knockout.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t the best performance. The end goal was to pin him down and hurt him. It took a bit longer than expected,\u201d said Joshua. \u201cJake Paul did really well tonight. He got up time and time again.\u201d<\/p>\n
A bleeding Paul seemed satisfied with his performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnthony is a great fighter I got my ass beat but I\u2019m coning back,\u201d said Paul. \u201cI\u2019m going to come back and win a championship belt somehow.\u201d<\/p>\n
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