Judgment Day in Miami had a clear ending: Anthony Joshua shut down Jake Paul with a sixth-round knockout at the Kaseya Center. The heavyweight headliner, streamed on Netflix, was set for eight 3-minute rounds with 10-ounce gloves. When it mattered, the former two-time unified champion reminded everyone why he carries that pedigree. Paul, the ambitious crossover star, felt the difference in class.

Miami, Netflix, and a Main Event Built to Trend

This fight was designed for big screens and big search bars. Miami’s Kaseya Center gave it flash. Netflix gave it reach. And the matchup gave it debate. Could a rising entertainer-turned-contender hang with a seasoned heavyweight great? For six rounds, we got the answer.

Joshua closed the show in Round 6 to win by knockout. It was decisive and clean, a veteran taking control of a moment that could not slip.

“Say what you want about Jake, but tonight showed the gap between hype and heavyweight levels.”

Size, Shape, and Stakes: The Weigh-in Story

The drama started a day earlier at the Jackie Gleason Theater at The Fillmore. The stare down was sharp. The numbers mattered even more. Joshua tipped 243.4 pounds — his lightest since he came in at 240 against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021. He targeted his first true career weight cut at 245 and then came in under it. That’s a message: lighter, quicker, ready.

Paul came in at 216.6 pounds. He has spent two years growing from novelty to live opponent, and the scale showed a clear size and experience gap. Joshua entered at 28-4 with 25 knockouts; Paul entered 12-1 with 7 KOs and six straight wins since his split-decision loss to Tommy Fury in February 2023. The tale of the tape was honest.

Words Before Punches: What They Promised

Joshua’s tone all week was direct. “I’m a serious fighter. You’re going to get f—– up,” he warned. He leaned into the role of closer, even nodding at promoter Eddie Hearn’s history with Paul: “He helped Jake have his pro debut, and he’s brought me in to end Jake Paul’s boxing career.” At the weigh-in, with the job hours away, Joshua cracked, “I can’t wait to eat.”

Paul kept the challenger’s creed: “I like to challenge myself. I like to take on the biggest, the best. I said anyone, anytime, any place, and I truly mean that.” Joshua, for his part, promised to show layers: “I’m going to bring him to another school of boxing that I don’t think he’s been exposed to yet… There are a few tricks I have up my sleeve to show Jake on Friday.”

“Joshua trimmed down like a man on a mission — the footwork looked planned from the scales to the stoppage.”

The Fight: Experience Takes the Wheel

Within the ropes, Joshua did what seasoned heavyweights do. He kept his shape, managed distance, and waited for moments rather than forcing them. Paul showed heart and intent, but this was a different level of timing and control. By Round 6, Joshua had built enough pressure and found the finish. No controversy. No questions.

It was a reminder that rounds are classrooms. Joshua has studied in the hardest ones. He lost his belts to Usyk in 2021 and dropped the rematch in 2022. He was stopped by Daniel Dubois in 2024. But this performance was the steadiness of a veteran who has rebuilt, not a fighter in retreat. Miami looked like a reset, not an epilogue.

“Respect to Jake for daring, but heavyweight chess hits different when a former champ moves the pieces.”

Why the Weight Cut Mattered for Joshua

The 243.4 number will live in training notebooks. For Joshua, being lighter meant quicker starts, faster exits, and cleaner counters. He didn’t need to bully. He needed to be first, last, and balanced. That’s what we saw. It also hints at how his camp views the next chapter: speed before bulk, focus before noise.

What’s Next for Jake Paul?

Paul’s rise has been built on risk. He was even set for an exhibition with Gervonta Davis earlier this year before it was canceled because of a civil suit against Davis. He pivoted, stayed busy, and kept pushing up the ladder. But Joshua is a high cliff. Where does he go now?

There’s no shame in losing to a former two-time unified heavyweight champion. The lesson is simple: match ambition with the right steps. Paul has power, toughness, and a real fan base. He also just met a level that demands patience, more rounds, and perhaps a focus on opponents closer to his size. If he chooses to continue at the top level, it will need time and polish.

Undercard Results Roundup

• Yokasta Valle def. Yadira Bustillos — Majority Decision, 10 rounds (2:00).
• Avios Griffin def. Justin Cardona — Knockout, Round 1 of 8 (2:59).
• Keno Marley def. Diarra Davis Jr. — Unanimous Decision, 4 rounds (3:00).

Numbers, Network, and Noise

The reported purse for the event was a staggering $184 million. That number, paired with Netflix’s global reach, explains the scale of the night. This wasn’t only a fight. It was a content moment designed to live on phones and timelines long after the bell.

And on the sporting side, it was old-school clarity. Eight rounds scheduled. 10-ounce gloves. One star with a deep resume, one star building his. The result matched the math.

Final Word: The Verdict Stands

Anthony Joshua’s sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul was more than a win. It was a statement about levels, standards, and how experience guides outcomes. Joshua looked lighter and sharper. Paul showed courage but found a ceiling for now.

In the end, Judgment Day delivered what it promised. The night belonged to the former champion. The lesson belongs to everyone else watching the climb.