ANTHONY JOSHUA KNOCKS OUT JAKE PAUL IN SIX-ROUND CONTROVERSIAL BOUT. (PHOTO).

 Anthony Joshua knocks out Jake Paul in six-round controversial bout

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua knocked out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in their controversial Netflix-backed bout in Miami on Friday.

The fight at the Kaseya Center, which saw both men reportedly splitting a mammoth purse of $184 million, had triggered alarm across boxing due to the gulf in physical size and class between Britain’s two-time former world champion Joshua and Paul, an internet personality who has forged a lucrative career through a handful of novelty boxing contests.

In the event, however, Joshua made hard work of defeating his vastly less accomplished opponent, before his superior size and power eventually told in the later stages of the eight-round fight, with a sixth-round knockout. A lackluster contest descended into farce at times, with Paul repeatedly dropping to the canvas and grappling with Joshua’s legs.

At one stage, even referee Christopher Young appeared to be losing patience, warning the fighters in the fourth round: “The fans did not pay to see this crap.” As Paul tired, the 6ft 6in (1.85m) tall Joshua began to land punches with more regularity, and after knocking down the 6ft 1in American twice in the fifth round, the end came swiftly in the sixth.