Anthony Joshua Reflects on Jake Paul Victory: “A Win, Not a Success”

Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua delivered a surprisingly critical appraisal of his performance against Jake Paul on Friday, labeling the sixth-round stoppage merely “a win, not a success,” and emphasizing his need for significant improvement.

The Dynamics of the Fight

The bout was not the quick demolition many expected. Joshua (29-4, 26 KOs) initially struggled to find his target against Paul (12-2, 7 KOs), who employed evasive footwork and movement in the early rounds, leading to a slow start in Miami.

Despite widespread predictions that Joshua would knock out the YouTube star within the first two or three rounds, the seasoned professional struggled initially to corner his opponent.

However, the difference in class and sheer power became undeniable once Joshua’s punches started connecting. Paul was dropped three times before the referee called a stop to the action in Round Six.

Joshua’s Self-Assessment

Despite securing the decisive victory, Joshua expressed profound dissatisfaction with his execution.

“No, I needed to do better. I needed to do better,” Joshua stated plainly.

He elaborated on his mindset immediately following the fight:

“It`s a win, but it`s not a success. I think my coach expects more from me, and I certainly expect more from myself. I have to move forward and put that performance in the past now. After today, you may see a bit of social media… but for me, it`s in the past.”
“I cannot dwell on that win; I have a great deal of improvement I need to achieve.”

Psychological Warfare

While critical of his own execution, Joshua commended Paul for his courage and willingness to step into the ring, but stressed the immense gap in professional experience and psychological fortitude.

“Jake did well while it lasted,” Joshua conceded. “But fighting is not just physical, it’s psychological. When you understand the psychological warfare, I did say to [Paul]: ‘What’s going to happen is I’m going to see a time when I’m going to take your soul and you’re either going to give up or get knocked out.’”

Joshua concluded by praising Paul`s tenacity:

“Unless you have that instinct, you just will never be a good fighter. I wish I could have knocked him out at the start, but as we saw, Jake has spirit. He has heart, and I take my hat off to him.”
“Firstly, a lot of fighters won`t even step in the ring with me, and Jake did. Secondly, even after being dropped, he consistently kept trying to rise.”

Сообщение Anthony Joshua Reflects on Jake Paul Victory: “A Win, Not a Success” появились сначала на Sports News Review.