After struggling in Friday’s knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, Jake Paul is ready to take an indefinite break from boxing.
The YouTube star turned boxer was knocked out in the sixth round of Friday’s bout, a fight that sparked controversy for his approach. Some fans upset at Paul’s strategy called on him to retire from boxing, and Paul said he will take a step back from the ring — for at least a little while.
Jake Paul Ready for a Break
In his post-fight interview, Paul was asked what he might do next after the loss to Joshua. Paul said he’s ready to take a break after six years of fighting, though still has aspirations of returning and winning a belt.
“I’m going to come back and get a world championship belt at some point,” Paul said.
But many fans were ready to see Paul end his boxing career, especially after his tactics in Friday’s bout. He took several falls leading up to the knockout in the sixth round, including many where it appeared he went down on his own without being hit by Joshua.
Paul went down twice in the fifth round and once early in the sixth before taking a hard shot in the sixth that sent him down to the canvas and led to the fight’s stoppage.
Afterward, many fans took to social media to voice their displeasure and suggest that Paul should hang up his gloves.
“Finally we can end the circus,” one fan shared in a post on X. “Can we stop giving Jake Paul the time. Multiple times he tried to grab and look for a way out. Heâs disrespected the sport for too long. Back to regular programming.”
“Jake Paul needs to retire. He canât be fighting with the big boys,” another wrote. “Heâs lucky Joshua didnât put them in the hospital. Jake Paul is making the sport of boxing it to a joke”
Jake Paul Pounded Against Olympic Gold Medalist
Joshua was the most accomplished opponent Paul had faced, coming into the fight as a big favorite. The former Olympic gold medalist appeared frustrated at Paul’s passive approach, especially as the influencer turned fighter threw fewer than 10 punches in several rounds and largely tried to avoid Joshua.
But he landed several big punches in the later rounds, including one that left Paul bloodied and hurting after the fight.
“I think I broke my jaw,” Paul said after the fight, spitting blood onto the canvas.
Despite the loss, Paul reportedly came out of Friday’s fight with a huge payday. USA Today’s Marcus D. Smith noted that the fight had a huge purse.
“According to Celebrity Net Worth, Daily Mail and former UFC champion Michael Bisping, the purse is worth $184 million, where Paul and Joshua will make $92 million apiece for the fight,” Smith wrote.
But Smith added that Paul himself disputed that figure, taking to X in November to claim that the purse was close to $100 million bigger than what was being advertised.
“Stop asking me,” Paul wrote. “$267 million.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Jake Paul Addresses Boxing Future Amid Calls to Retire After Anthony Joshua Loss appeared first on Heavy Sports.