Anthony Joshua did what he had to do, what he needed to do, what he would have been ridiculed for not doing.
But it took longer than it should have done. Not the one round widely predicted but come the sixth when he finally unleashed his genuine heavyweight right hand.
We may never be given a complete, transparent insight into any machinations which were woven into this complex act of controversy.
Did AJ grant the Problem Child long enough to be able to garner credit for his snappy effort and his courage when the heavy blows began to fall?
Doubt he will ever tell us.
Anthony Joshua ends up on the canvas with Jake Paul – but went on to win the fight
The fight was at times farcical but eventually ended with Joshua knocking Paul out in the sixth
Was it scripted? Paul has no reason to admit as much even if it was. Not when he fought on to within two rounds of the scheduled finished with a broken jaw. He simply said: ‘I had a blast. This is what boxing’s all about.’
Well not really, when a smaller chap gets beaten up by a two-time world heavyweight champion. But at least the prophets of death were confounded by Paul still walking, talking and breathing after being bounced up and down like a yo-yo for most of the night.
There was not much to salute for Joshua but no damage was done to the plans for him to go on to the long overdue Battle of Britain with Tyson Fury next year, Which the Saudi magnates are willing to pay even more big bucks than for this Friday night in Florida.
And of which Joshua said: ‘If Tyson means it I’m ready.’
As for Paul, he says he will be looking for more opponents to come out of left field. Although preferably not as big hitting as his new friend AJ
‘Watch and believe,’ The Problem Child advised the world on the eve of this, the biggest fight of his crusade as a disrupter of the ring’s old order.
The referee raises Joshua’s arm at the end of the heavyweight bout in Miami on Friday night
After being saved by the referee in the sixth, Paul told Netflix that he ‘had a blast’ in the ring
Paul tried – and failed – to compete with Joshua in a complete mismatch at Kaseya Center
Believers or not, tens of millions of us could not resist watching him pit his comparatively dwarfed frame against the enormous AJ. Mostly on television since tickets were still on sale at the box office windows as we arrived at the Kaseya Center.
This 20,000-seat arena is home to the Miami Heat basketball team but these beaches have not been exactly scorching with anticipation for big-time boxing’s most curious fight for many a year. With the boost of a walk-up the house was close to full in time for the main event.
But that’s not what this was all about. The driving force bringing this unlikely pairing together has been Netflix, their oodles of money and their 300 million subscribers around the world. If only a fifth of that potential audience tuned in the reach would still be huge.
That’s entertainment. Like it or not when the sport is overshadowed by the show. And it is difficult to deny that Jake the multi-tasker knows how to put on the razzle dazzle. Nor his willingness to take risks in his portfolio of businesses, including his boxing.
And taking on Joshua is one helluva risk for a YouTuber, however famous.
Despite that juvenile trademark yelling by American announcers exhorting the crowd to ‘make some noise’ the atmosphere to begin with was more one of fascination than frenzy. The Star Spangled Banner livened them up.
Joshua celebrates as he makes his way back to the dressing rooms after the Netflix showdown
Despite finishing the fight bloodied and bruised, Paul still found time to stick his tongue out
There was sporadic whistling when Joshua popped up on the big screens as he arrived in the arena kitted out in a high fashion take on battle fatigues.
Ah well, each had threatened to kill the other. Not that they really, really meant it. But when the drum is as big as a $140million kitty it has to be banged lustily.
Whether the star turns were in perfect shape physical or mentally for this occasion was a question which could only be answered in a ring enlarged from the customary 20 square feet to 22. Done presumably so that Paul might try to go on manoeuvres without getting cornered and crushed.
During the build-up week Joshua had looked to be in a relaxed place somewhere between weariness with the excess media work required in return for his fat cheque and disinterest. Perhaps the name of that place is complacency.
Paul seemed to be nursing a sore throat and a cold and was hyper at the microphone. A victim of the new flu? Maybe the hard reality of the task was kicking in. If so the interminable delay before they came to the ring will have played all the more on his mind.
Not that his extravagant dancing entrance in yellow sunglasses showed any sign of trepidation.
In round one, Joshua looked the more cautious. Even though Paul kept dancing away from him and possibly, actually won the first round with a couple of quick snap sorties.
Throughout the bout, Paul dived around the ring and at times even grabbed Joshua’s legs
The Brit walks away from Paul in the sixth round after knocking him down for the final time
Joshua was more assertive in the second but without throwing that big right hand. He won the round.
Paul then mixed the dancing with the grappling. Joshua tried one proper right but did not land cleanly. Paul dud enough to share it. And was still there after the two rounds in which Joshua was supposed to snuff him out.
Joshua kept wrestling Paul to the floor, instead of knocking him down. And was told off for it by the referee who gives the American time to recover after two awkward falls.
But then it was over. If there had been some pretence earlier Joshua tired of it and battered Paul down for good.
