American boxer Jake Paul has vowed never to face another heavyweight after suffering a devastating defeat to former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, a loss that left him with a broken jaw requiring multiple surgeries.
Paul, a natural cruiserweight, was stopped in the sixth round by Joshua at the Kaseya Center in Miami on December 19. The YouTuber-turned-boxer was knocked down four times before referee Christopher Young waved off the contest one minute and 31 seconds into the round.
Joshua, who entered the fight as the overwhelming favourite, enjoyed significant physical advantages, outweighing Paul by nearly 27 pounds and standing five inches taller.
Reflecting on the bout during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Paul admitted the experience had convinced him to steer clear of elite heavyweight opponents in the future.
"I just probably will not fight Olympic gold medal heavyweights anymore. I learned my lesson. I am definitely still fighting. I am getting back to it, keep on fighting, maybe do some MMA," Paul said.
Shortly after the fight, Paul revealed on Instagram that he had suffered fractures in two places in his jaw, forcing him to undergo surgery. He also disclosed that titanium plates were inserted to stabilise the injury and that several teeth had to be removed during the procedure.
Despite the setback, the 29-year-old insisted he has no plans to retire from combat sports and is already considering his next move, including a possible venture into mixed martial arts.
