Jake Paul’s latest boxing gamble ended not with a viral celebration, but with titanium plates, missing teeth, and a bruising reminder of the sport’s unforgiving edge.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer has undergone surgery to repair a jaw broken in two places after his heavyweight showdown with former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in Miami. The 28-year-old required two titanium plates and dental work following the sixth-round stoppage defeat, which saw him floored repeatedly before failing to beat the referee’s count.
Paul confirmed the extent of the damage shortly after the bout, revealing on social media that surgery had been successful but that he would be restricted to liquids for a week.
“Surgery went well—thanks for all the love and support,” Paul wrote on Instagram, alongside an X-ray showing fractures along his jawline. “Liquids only for seven days.”
The injury explained his absence from the post-fight news conference, though it did little to dampen Paul’s trademark bravado. In a joking aside, he claimed he could still take on Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez “in 10 days”—a comment in keeping with the unpredictability that has defined his boxing career.
Paul had already suspected the worst inside the ring. After being dropped in the fifth and sixth rounds by Joshua’s heavy punches, he admitted his jaw was “definitely” broken.
“A broken jaw is very common in sports like boxing and MMA,” said Nakisa Bidarian, chief executive of Most Valuable Promotions. “The recovery timeline is typically four to six weeks.”
The bout itself was always a risky leap. Paul entered as a massive underdog against a vastly more experienced heavyweight, giving up size, power, and pedigree. Attempting to offset the mismatch, he relied on speed and footwork, but Joshua’s precision and strength eventually proved decisive.
The fight had drawn criticism long before the opening bell, with many questioning the wisdom of matching a former cruiserweight YouTuber against an elite heavyweight. Paul has spent most of his professional career campaigning below heavyweight and acknowledged after the defeat that a reset is needed.
“We’ll heal the jaw, come back, and fight people my weight,” he said. “I’m going for the cruiserweight world title. I’ve been going hard for six years, so I’ll take a little break.”
Despite the painful setback, Paul’s boxing journey remains anything but conventional. Just months ago, the idea of him sharing a ring with Joshua seemed far-fetched. Yet he has now checked it off his list, further cementing his reputation as one of the sport’s most disruptive figures.
Before stepping up to face Joshua, Paul had been building momentum at cruiserweight. The World Boxing Association announced earlier this year that he would enter their rankings at number 14 in July, though he has since slipped one spot. A return to that division now appears the most logical route if he is to pursue his stated ambition of a world title.
Bidarian revealed that Paul drove himself to hospital after the defeat and reiterated that a four-to-six-week recovery window is expected. Once cleared to compete in 2026, Paul could begin targeting names above him in the WBA cruiserweight rankings.
One potential opponent is Manchester’s Pat Brown, an unbeaten professional after five fights, who could relish the exposure of a high-profile bout. Paul, however, has never hidden his appetite for marquee names, and his long-standing desire to face Canelo Alvarez remains alive.
A rematch with Tommy Fury—the only other man to defeat him—also continues to hover in the background.
For now, though, Paul’s focus is on healing. The titanium plates will fade from view, but the lesson from Miami is harder to ignore: in boxing, spectacle can open the door—but survival still depends on skill, experience, and resilience.