Jake Paul has shared his first detailed health update after suffering a devastating knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last night, an event streamed live on Netflix and one of the most profitable boxing spectacles in recent years.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer entered the ring as a massive underdog against the two-time heavyweight world champion, and the mismatch became clear early as Joshua dominated the action. Paul absorbed heavy shots and was knocked down four times before Joshua sealed a clean KO in the sixth round.
After the fight, Paul admitted the extent of his injuries, telling fans, “I think my jaw is broke by the way… it’s definitely broke. A nice ass whooping from one of the best to ever do it.“
Despite criticism from some viewers who believed Joshua should have ended the fight sooner, AJ acknowledged the feedback.
“It wasn’t the best performance,” Joshua told Netflix. “We have to give Jake his respect for trying and trying and trying, but he came up against a real fighter tonight that’s had a 15-month layoff, who shook off the cobwebs.”
Paul, ever the entertainer, remained upbeat even while acknowledging defeat: “I’m feeling good, that was fun,“ Paul said. “I love this sport. I gave it my all… Anthony’s a great fighter, I got my ass beat but that’s what this sport’s about.”
Jake Paul undergoes jaw surgery, shares recovery timeline
The 28-year-old confirmed via social media that he required surgery after Joshua fractured his jaw in two places. He later posted a photo from a hospital bed captioned: “Just got out of surgery. Everything went smooth. Thanks for all the love. Lots of pain and stiffness. Gotta eat liquids for 7 days.”
Paul revealed that surgeons installed titanium plates on both sides of his jaw and removed teeth during the procedure.
The boxer’s promoter, Nakisa Bidarian, offered a recovery estimate: “I think the recovery time from the doctors and surgeons we’ve already talked to is four to six weeks.”
Bidarian added that although Paul is suspended from competition for 60 days, the injury itself is “very common in sports, particularly in boxing or MMA.”
Paul, determined not to let the loss define him, promised a comeback: “I’m going to come back and keep on winning… I love this s* and I’m going to come back and get a world championship belt at some point.”
Record purses add to the spectacle
Reports suggest both fighters walked away with monumental earnings. Before the bout, Paul tweeted, “$267 million,” referring to the event payout.
Financial experts estimate that even if the purse was lower, around $184 million, Joshua could still take as much as $92 million, marking one of the sport’s biggest paydays since Mayweather’s era.
Jake Paul now faces weeks of recovery before returning to the ring, if he does it again.
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