Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Guardian sport and agencies

Jake Paul drops out of WBA cruiserweight rankings after loss to Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul during their heavyweight bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Anthony Joshua saw off Jake Paul in their heavyweight bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Photograph: JC Ruiz/PA

Jake Paul has fallen out of the World Boxing Association’s cruiserweight rankings after his sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last month.

The YouTuber was stopped by the former two-time heavyweight champion in a scheduled eight-round bout in Miami, where Joshua scored four knockdowns before the referee halted the contest in the sixth round. Paul suffered a broken jaw in two places and required surgery after the fight.

Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) had entered the WBA’s cruiserweight rankings at No 14 in July after defeating Julio César Chávez Jr by unanimous decision in Anaheim, California. He was listed at No 15 entering the bout against Joshua, despite the fight taking place at heavyweight and carrying no ranking implications in that division.

The loss was Paul’s first defeat since losing a split decision to Tommy Fury in 2023 and ended his brief run in the WBA’s top 15.

Joshua, who was returning after a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, said afterwards that his aim was to “pin [Paul] down and hurt him”.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.