Joshua and Paul provide a sorry spectacle that public still lap up

Jake Paul’s mouth opened wide, and his eyes became huge glazed saucers, as he sank to the canvas in shock and awe after a pulverising right hand from Anthony Joshua finally ended the circus in Miami late on Friday night.

- Donald McRae

It looked as if Paul was trying to say “Wow!” as the severity of impact registered in his scrambled brain.Pinned ina corner of the ring midway through the sixth round, Paul could no longer run or cling to Joshua’s legs like a forlorn little boy as the gravity of boxing enveloped him. Instead, as he tried to absorb the punch that broke his jaw in two separate places, Paul was lost in his utterly stunned moment.

So this is how it feels, and looks, to be hit hard by areal boxer, an Olympic gold medallist and former world heavyweight champion. Wowis the word.

It was the fourth time that the former YouTuber had been knocked down but the consequences of a proper punch meant Paul would not be able to rise to his feet and waggle his tongue defiantly at Joshua before the referee waved the charade over. As blood began toleak from his mouth, anda numbing throb spread through his jawbone, Paul finally understood how hard, exhausting and dangerous boxing is at a decent level of professionalism.