Jake Paul's Two Losses: What They Have in Common

Updated: October 2026

Jake Paul's professional record reads 12-2 — twelve wins, two defeats. But Jake Paul's two losses could hardly be more different: a split-decision defeat to Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia, and a jaw-shattering sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in Miami. Look closer, though, and the two defeats share more than you'd think.

Loss One: Tommy Fury (February 26, 2023, Saudi Arabia)

Paul's first defeat came against Tommy Fury — the reality-TV star turned pro boxer, and the first genuine boxer Paul ever faced. Fury won by split decision: two judges scored it for him, one for Paul. It was a close, competitive fight, not a demolition. Paul went the distance, had his moments, and lost on the cards.

The significance was psychological more than physical. The Fury loss punctured the aura of invincibility Paul had built across seven wins. It proved that a disciplined, fundamentally sound boxer — even one whose fame came from television — could outpoint him over rounds.

Loss Two: Anthony Joshua (December 19, 2025, Miami)

Nearly three years later came the second defeat, and it was a different universe of violence. Anthony Joshua — the former heavyweight champion — knocked Paul out in round six at 1:31, breaking Paul's jaw in two places. Where the Fury loss was a lesson, the Joshua loss was a trauma: surgery, a 293-day recovery, and a full calendar year defined by rehabilitation rather than fighting.

The Joshua defeat was also Paul's only stoppage loss in 14 fights. Every other opponent who beat him did it on points. Only Joshua finished him — and only Joshua hurt him badly enough to require operations.

What Jake Paul's Two Losses Have in Common

• Both opponents were real boxers. Fury was a pro boxer; Joshua was an elite heavyweight. Neither was a crossover athlete. Paul's losses came exclusively against men from boxing's traditional ranks.
• Both exposed a ceiling. Fury showed Paul couldn't outbox a genuine boxer yet; Joshua showed the physical gulf between Paul and a true heavyweight puncher.
• Both happened on the biggest stages. Saudi Arabia for Fury, Miami for Joshua — the losses came when the spotlight was brightest and the stakes highest.
• Both became turning points. The Fury loss triggered the "real boxer" rebuild (August, Bourland). The Joshua loss triggered the 2026 comeback and medical-clearance saga.
• Neither ended the story. Paul rebuilt after Fury with five straight wins. The Joshua comeback is still being written.

How the Two Losses Differ

The differences matter as much as the parallels. The Fury loss was competitive — a split decision in a fight Paul could have won on another night. The Joshua loss was conclusive — a knockout that left no room for debate and a broken jaw that left no room for a quick return.

Fury beat Paul with fundamentals; Joshua beat him with force. The first loss said "you're not a complete boxer yet." The second said "there are levels to this sport that hype cannot cross." Both were true, and both were necessary for Paul's development — if development is what the comeback delivers. Together, they form the most instructive two-fight sequence of his entire career.

FAQ

Who has beaten Jake Paul?

Tommy Fury (split decision, February 2023) and Anthony Joshua (KO round 6, December 2025).

What do Jake Paul's two losses have in common?

Both defeats came against genuine professional boxers rather than crossover athletes, both happened on major stages, and both became career turning points.

Was the Joshua loss worse than the Fury loss?

Physically, unquestionably — Joshua knocked Paul out and broke his jaw in two places. Competitively, the Fury loss was closer: a split decision Paul might have won.

Did Jake Paul avenge either loss?

As of October 2026, no rematch has happened for either defeat — though a Joshua rematch remains one of the most discussed possibilities in boxing.

Jake Paul's two losses are the most honest chapters of his career. One taught him he couldn't outbox a real boxer; the other taught him what a real heavyweight does to pretenders. Everything Paul does from here — every comeback fight, every training camp — will be measured against what those two nights revealed.