American boxer, Jake Paul was taken to hospital in the early hours of today, December 20, after being stopped by Anthony Joshua in their much talked-about heavyweight clash in Miami.
Jake Paul lasted six rounds with the former two-time world champion but could not beat the count after a punishing sequence of knockdowns. Paul was floored twice across the fifth and sixth rounds as Joshua’s power eventually made the difference.
Speaking shortly after the fight, Paul admitted he feared the damage was serious, saying his jaw was “definitely” broken. The 28-year-old later missed the scheduled post-fight press conference, with his promotional team confirming he had gone for medical checks.
Most Valuable Promotions chief Nakisa Bidarian said Paul travelled to hospital under his own steam.
“We think he broke his jaw. But he’s fine,” Bidarian said.
“He took a shower, he drove himself to hospital. A broken jaw is very common in sports, particularly in boxing or MMA. The recovery time is four to six weeks.”
Paul entered the bout as a heavy underdog and attempted to negate Joshua’s size and strength with movement, speed and distance. Despite moments of resistance, the gulf in experience and natural weight eventually became clear, drawing criticism from some quarters over the mismatch.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer has spent most of his professional career campaigning at cruiserweight and has already signalled that his future lies back there rather than among the heavyweights.
“We will heal the broken jaw, come back and fight people my weight. I’m going for the cruiserweight world title,” Jake Paul said.
“I’m going to take a little break. I’ve been going hard for six years.”
Only months ago, the idea of Paul sharing a ring with Joshua appeared far-fetched. Yet the bout went ahead and added another unpredictable chapter to a career built on challenging convention.
Before stepping up to face Joshua, Paul had been operating at cruiserweight and was informed by the WBA that he would enter their rankings at number 14 in July. He has since slipped one place, making a return to the division the most logical route if he is serious about chasing a world title.
Once cleared to resume competition in 2026, Paul may begin to look at those ranked above him. One potential option is Manchester’s Pat Brown, who remains unbeaten after five professional fights and could relish the exposure of a high-profile contest.
Paul has also continued to talk up his desire to face four-weight world champion Saul Canelo Alvarez, a pursuit that would keep him in the global spotlight. A rematch with Tommy Fury, the only man to have beaten him previously, also remains an unresolved subplot.
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