Former two-time unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has jokingly claimed that his victory over Jake Paul was the fulfilment of a mission to drive the YouTuber-turned-boxer out of the sport.
Speaking on a recent episode of Ring Magazine's podcast, Joshua said he had been given a "strict message" to remove Paul from boxing, delivering the remarks with a smile.
“There was a strict message that was given and a task that was laid upon me, and that was to get rid of Jake Paul, remove him from our beloved sport, which is boxing,” Joshua said.
“Whether that took me one round or six rounds, I believe the job was well and truly done. I definitely delivered.”
Joshua was referring to his dominant sixth-round stoppage victory over Paul in a heavyweight bout held at the Kaseya Centre in Miami on December 19. The fight, which was streamed globally on Netflix, ended after referee Christopher Young waved it off at 1:31 of the sixth round following Paul’s fourth knockdown of the contest.
The British heavyweight had already sent Paul to the canvas twice in the fifth round before finishing the fight in the next session. The defeat left Paul with serious injuries, including a fractured jaw that required surgery. The social media star later revealed that doctors inserted two titanium plates and removed several teeth after the bout.
The injuries have since cast doubt over Paul's future in boxing. Speaking to Uncrowned, the 29-year-old admitted that his career in the ring could be over depending on how his jaw heals.
“We’ll see what my doctors say,” Paul said. “I’ll be able to get a more accurate timeframe, or whether I can even fight again. That is definitely within the realm of possibilities. The jaw feels much better as time goes by, but I need medical clearance before I can spar again. Most definitely my boxing career could be over. It all depends on how the bone heals.”
Since transitioning to combat sports in 2018, Paul has become one of boxing’s biggest attractions, facing a mix of fellow influencers, former MMA champions and legendary fighters, including a highly publicized bout against Mike Tyson.