Anthony Joshua Beats Jake Paul in Miami Return Bout After 14-Month Layoff

By Sub Zero ✔

MIAMI, Dec. 19, 2025 (Naija247news) – Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua marked his return to professional boxing with a commanding victory over U.S. social-media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul on Friday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, ending a 14-month hiatus from the sport.

Joshua, 36, showed early signs of ring rust after his long absence but gradually imposed his size, power and experience to overwhelm Paul in their scheduled heavyweight contest. The bout drew global attention, blending elite boxing pedigree with celebrity spectacle, and was broadcast live on Netflix.

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis acknowledged Joshua’s slow start but praised his composure and conditioning.

“He did what he had to do,” Lewis said during the broadcast. “He had a guy in front of him who was running around the ring and he had to catch up with him. Once he caught up with him, it really came down to who was in better shape.”

Lewis added that fatigue ultimately decided the contest.

“After a while, [Paul] was just sitting there waiting to get hit.”

Paul, 28, admitted after the fight that endurance was his undoing despite surviving into the middle rounds against one of boxing’s most recognisable heavyweights.

“I just got tired, to be honest,” Paul said. “There was just so much of handling his weight. If I could have had better cardio, I could have kept it up.”

Despite the loss, Paul insisted the bout had not derailed his ambitions, reiterating his interest in pursuing a cruiserweight world title fight in the future.

For Joshua, the victory marked more than just a win—it signalled a reset. Photographs from ringside captured the former champion smiling broadly, a stark contrast to his recent years of setbacks and inactivity. The performance, while not flawless, reaffirmed his physical edge and reignited discussion about potential high-profile heavyweight matchups in 2026.

The fight capped a packed night of boxing in Miami and underscored the growing commercial pull of crossover bouts, even as questions remain about how such spectacles fit into the sport’s competitive hierarchy.

Sub Zero ✔

Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.

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