Jake Paul was forced to drive himself to hospital after suffering a double fracture to his jaw following a brutal knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua in Miami. The former YouTuber-turned-boxer managed to last six rounds against the ex-heavyweight world champion, but Joshua’s power ultimately proved overwhelming. After knocking Paul down twice in the fifth round, Joshua floored him twice more in the sixth to bring the contest to a decisive end in the early hours of Saturday morning (GMT).

Despite the heavy defeat, Paul was conscious and mobile after the fight. He later admitted he feared his jaw had been broken—a concern soon confirmed by his promoter, Nakisa Bidarian. The 28-year-old sought medical treatment shortly after leaving the arena, driving himself to hospital following post-fight commitments.

Bidarian revealed that doctors expect Paul’s recovery to take between four and six weeks. He also shared medical images on social media confirming the severity of the injury, showing significant damage to Paul’s jaw.

Paul later confirmed he would step away from boxing temporarily but remains determined to return, setting his sights on a future cruiserweight world title challenge.

“I’m going to take a little break,” Paul said. “I’ve been going hard for six years. I’ll take some time off, heal up, and come back to fight people my own weight.”

Reflecting on the defeat, Paul was gracious in loss. “Anthony Joshua is a great fighter,” he said. “I got beat, but that’s what this sport is about. I’ll be back and keep moving forward.”

He also insisted the experience had not shaken his belief or enjoyment of boxing. “I’m feeling good. That was fun. I love this sport,” Paul said during his in-ring interview, later posting an X-ray confirming the double fracture.

Paul maintained he was “not surprised” to have lasted six rounds, suggesting fatigue played a major role in the stoppage. However, due to the knockout, he has been handed an automatic 60-day suspension under Florida Athletic Commission regulations, which mandate a minimum ban for fighters stopped by KO. That suspension could be extended if the knockout is deemed particularly severe.

Bidarian explained the aftermath of the bout: “We met with Netflix, he took a shower, and then he drove himself to the hospital. A broken jaw is common in combat sports, and the doctors we’ve spoken to expect a four-to-six-week recovery.”

Despite the injury, Paul appeared to keep his sense of humour intact, joking from his hospital bed on social media: “Double broken jaw. Give me Canelo in 10 days.”

Meanwhile, Joshua wasted no time turning his attention to future opponents. Following his victory, he publicly challenged long-time rival Tyson Fury, calling on him to come out of retirement.

“If Tyson Fury is as serious as he says he is, he should stop talking and step into the ring with me,” Joshua said. “Let’s settle it with our fists.”

Fury officially retired in January but has done so multiple times before and recently hinted at a possible return in 2026. Earlier this month, he teased fans on social media, writing: “The king must return to his throne.”