Joshua, a two-time world champion, cut an increasingly frustrated figure as Paul danced around the ring for long periods, refusing to participate, before Joshua finally prevailed by knocking down the YouTuber-turned-two-time boxer in the fifth round.
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Paul went down again in the sixth, before Joshua landed a powerful, clean right hand that abruptly ended a surreal night at Miami’s Kaseya Center.
The American did not beat the count, although the relief was palpable inside the arena when he was able to stand up and leave the ring without help.
“It wasn’t the best performance,” Joshua, 36, said.
“The ultimate goal was to pin Jake Paul and hurt him. It took a little longer than expected, but the right hand finally found its destination.”
It was the outcome the boxing world had overwhelmingly predicted, and the controversial fight raises questions about the safety risks created by such a vast gulf in experience, size and power.
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Joshua earned his 29th professional career victory in 33 outings and can now turn his attention to a legitimate challenge, particularly the long-discussed showdown with Tyson Fury next year.
“Come and fight one of the realest fighters out there, come in with me next if you’re a really bad boy,” Joshua told his rival.
Meanwhile, Paul failed to deliver on his promise to pull off the biggest upset in sports history.
However, the 28-year-old managed to land a handful of punches, and the fact that the contest went into the sixth round was an unflattering reflection on Joshua.
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Frustrated Joshua finally lands big
Joshua walked to the ring first and received a mixed reception inside the 20,000-capacity stadium. His expression was stern, reflecting his insistence all week that he would take the contest seriously.
Paul’s ring walk drew attention when he was flanked by rapper 6ix9ine, a controversial figure with a history of criminal convictions and prison terms.
When the opening bell rang, Paul spun around on his back foot and the boos soon followed.
Joshua stalked him, throwing powerful rights and lefts that only cut through the air, each miss drawing gasps from the crowd. Paul responded by sticking out his tongue, acting.
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Every passing minute seemed like a small victory for Paul, who just 13 months earlier fought 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
He landed a looping overhand right in the fourth, but it barely registered with Joshua.
The event was broadcast live to more than 300 million Netflix subscribers.
Golf superstar Rory McIlroy, fresh off his Sports Personality of the Year win, sat ringside alongside rappers Rick Ross and Timbaland.
The fifth round achieved what many had long hoped for. A right hook grazed Paul’s shoulder and sent him to the canvas.
Moments later, a combination knocked him down again. He stood up heavily, breathing heavily as he tried to mask the damage with bravado.
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Another hard right hand in the sixth sent Paul to the ground once again, prompting sections of the crowd to call for the referee to intervene.
Those who remembered Joshua’s brutal one-punch knockout of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou early last year felt a familiar ending was approaching.
It wasn’t as wild, but the straight right, the punch Joshua had been waiting for all night, finally landed.
AJ eyes Fury, Paul eyes cruiserweight title
Joshua now has wins over former UFC champion Francis Ngannou and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul (Getty Images)
This was not a competition designed to rigorously test Joshua’s boxing ability. It was entertainment, designed to generate attention and income.
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“I don’t care about legacy. All legacy is there to last 50 years and then it’s done. This is what I do, I’ll do it until I can’t do it anymore,” Joshua said.
Joshua leaves Miami with his share of a £210m purse.
His attention is now expected to turn to another warm-up opponent in February before a potential showdown with Fury later in 2026.
Meanwhile, Paul admitted he “got beat up” but insisted he will return and aim for a world cruiserweight title.
“I think my jaw is broken. That was good, I’ll come back and get a world championship belt at some point,” he said.
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Like him or hate him, Paul attracts audiences, headlines and debate in a way few boxers can.
The fact that he convinced sections of the public that this fight could be competitive says a lot about his power as a promoter, even if as a boxer, he was discovered.
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