Joshua bides time, batters Paul in sixth-round KO

MIAMI -- Jake Paul found out the hard way that there are levels in boxing and former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua operates on another stratosphere after the social media influencer-turned-professional boxer was knocked out in the sixth round Saturday night at Kaseya Center.

It was an ugly affair that lasted much longer than many predicted, with Paul circling away from Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) for the first half of the fight as jeers rained down in the arena. Paul's reluctance to engage ensured his survival early, but his conditioning ended up betraying him as the hulking Brit caught up to his tiring opponent and ended the fight with a scintillating straight right hand.

For what it's worth, Paul (12-2) survived longer than some of Joshua's previous opponents, which included Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin. But surviving and mugging his opponent wasn't going to win him the fight, as Joshua was in constant pursuit to finish the fight as early as possible.

A restless crowd yearned for more action and Paul's strategy was to avoid getting himself in trouble. After numerous clinches and tumbles to the canvas, a worn-down Paul found himself forced to fight back in Round 5. He managed to cut through with a right hand, but an unfazed Joshua scored a pair of knockdowns, the first with a shot to the body and the second with a 1-2 right down the pipe.

Paul was wounded prey in Round 6 and Joshua rumbled in, clobbering Paul to the canvas with a right hand. Paul would make it to his feet but was unable to escape as Joshua turned the lights off with a short right hand that put him down for good at the 1:31 mark.