In a bout that captivated the sporting world, Anthony Joshua secured a decisive sixth-round knockout victory over Jake Paul in Miami on Friday night, December 20, 2025. Despite the one-sided conclusion, the fight's statistics reveal a more nuanced story, including a surprising round where the YouTube star turned boxer managed to out-land the former heavyweight champion.
A Frustrating Start and a Surprising Fourth Round
The fight began cautiously, with a tame opening round seeing both men land just two punches each. Joshua, the overwhelming favourite and a two-time world champion, grew visibly frustrated as Paul adopted an evasive strategy, often diving to hold his opponent's legs to buy time and avoid damage.
However, the American challenger had his moments. In the fourth round, Jake Paul notably out-landed Anthony Joshua, connecting with five of his 13 thrown punches. Joshua, by contrast, only found the target with four of his 19 attempts in that same period, a fact that momentarily silenced critics who had labelled the match a farcical mismatch.
Dominance Restored and a Brutal Finish
Joshua's class and power inevitably told as the fight progressed. The fifth round marked a significant shift, with the Briton landing a dominant 20 of 45 punches compared to Paul's mere five from 16. This growing pressure set the stage for the dramatic finale.
The contest was ended in the sixth round after Joshua floored Paul for the fourth time with a vicious shot that broke his opponent's jaw. Paul failed to land a single punch in that final round, while Joshua connected with 11 before the referee stepped in.
The Telling Final Punch Stats
The overall numbers painted a clear picture of Joshua's superiority, though Paul's brief success was recorded. For the entire fight, Jake Paul threw just 56 punches, landing 16 for a 28.6% connect rate. Anthony Joshua was far busier and more accurate, landing 48 of the 146 punches he threw, achieving a 32.9% success rate.
Speaking after the fight, Joshua gave credit to his defeated foe. "It wasn't the best performance. The end goal was to get him, pin him down and hurt him," Joshua said. "Now, Jake Paul has done really well tonight. He got up, time and time again. It was difficult for me in there. We give them their respect, he tried and tried, but he came up against a real fighter in there."
The event, which took place in Miami, Florida, lived up to its billing as a major spectacle, concluding with a definitive statement from the Olympic gold medallist while providing a statistical footnote that showed Jake Paul's brief moments of competitiveness.
