The lights of the boxing world were shining last Friday night, December 19, 2025, when the sports industry turned its attention from the ring to social media. Following Anthony Joshua’s knockout victory over Jake Paul, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal took to X to deliver a message that was as celebratory as it was provocative.
Shaq, a lifelong boxing fan and frequent spectator at major fighting venues, seemingly laughed at the persistent rumors of scripted fights that have been involved in Jake Paul’s meteoric and controversial boxing career.
A reality check in Miami
The clash, exclusively live-streamed on Netflix, was seen as the chance for Jake Paul to prove his detractors wrong, even though he had previously silenced critics by defeating other legendary names. After Paul’s loss (now 12-2 record), many pointed out that his resume was built on aging MMA fighters or a 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
In Joshua, Paul saw what dealing with a “real” heavyweight in his prime looks like. The physical disparity was evident from the opening bell, as Joshua weighed in nearly 27 pounds heavier and stood five inches taller than Paul.
After a slow start, Joshua dismantled Paul’s defense round by round. By the fifth round, the power became overwhelming, and in the sixth, Joshua floored Paul for the final time. Once tired of Paul’s constant falls, referee Christopher Young counted Paul out at 1:31 of the sixth round after a knockout in front of an arena with acrowd of 19,600.
Shaq’s bizarre message
Shortly after the referee finished the contest, Shaquille O’Neal posted a message that alluded to the scripted allegations that often circulate before Paul’s fights. Fans have long speculated that Paul’s opponents were contractually obligated to avoid a knockout, a claim Paul has always denied on every single occasion.
Yeah anthony joshua #what script
By celebrating Joshua’s brutal knockout, Shaq appeared to be signaling that the “script” had finally been tossed out the window by a world-class heavyweight. The message resonated with fans who felt that Joshua’s victory brought trust back to the sport, proving that there are levels to boxing that newbies cannot bypass that easily.
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