Eddie Hearn has issued a stark warning that Jake Paul’s boxing career could be finished following the devastating double jaw fracture he sustained against Anthony Joshua.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer was knocked out by the two-time heavyweight world champion during their Netflix event in the early hours of Saturday morning, with Joshua delivering a powerful combination culminating in a right hand that sent Paul crashing to the canvas.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Hearn painted a bleak picture of Paul’s future in the sport.
“He may never be able to fight again,” Hearn said.
“People just think, ‘Oh, you just get your jaw wired, bolted together by a couple of screws, and on you go.’ There have been many fighters who have had their jaws broken that never boxed again.”
Hearn was responding to suggestions that the bout had been staged, allegations he firmly rejected.
“We’re not actors here. It was one hundred per cent real, there was never any strategy, any deal, any script,” he stated.
Eddie Hearn has issued a stark warning that Jake Paul’s boxing career could be finished following the devastating double jaw fracture he sustained against Anthony Joshua
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The promoter explained that Joshua had been seeking an opportunity to connect cleanly throughout the contest.
“AJ wanted to land clean as soon as possible. Unfortunately the only time he landed really clean was in the sixth round,” Hearn added.
Paul shared X-ray images revealing the extent of his injuries, showing fractures on both sides of his jaw, yet remained defiant about his future, declaring “give me Canelo in 10 days”.
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Following the knockout, Paul transported himself to hospital where he underwent surgery to repair the damage.
In a social media update, he wrote: “Just got out of surgery. Everything went smooth. Thanks for all the love. Lots of pain and stiffness. Gotta eat liquids for 7 days S/o to the amazing team at Miami University hospital. Everyone was so gracious and caring.”
Despite the severity of the injury, Paul’s promoter Nikisa Bidarian offered a more optimistic outlook, suggesting a recovery period of between four and six weeks.
Bidarian noted that such fractures were relatively commonplace in combat sports, particularly within boxing and mixed martial arts.
Former boxer Chris Algieri offered a far grimmer assessment of Paul’s condition, however, describing the double fracture as potentially career-altering.
“It’s a very bad injury. A double fracture on both sides, you’re going to lose teeth there too,” Algieri told Boxing Scene.
Jake Paul shared a picture of his X-ray on social media following his devastating defeat to Anthony Joshua
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The former professional predicted an extended absence from competition for the social media star, who had been staging major events as frequently as twice annually.
“He’s going to be out of the ring for a while,” Algieri said.
“He’s going to take some time off but we’ll see how that jaw comes together because that’s a catastrophic injury.”
The severity of the damage was such that Joshua felt compelled to apologise to Paul’s mother when he encountered her in the ring following the bout.
