In the aftermath of Anthony Joshua’s dominant sixth-round knockout victory over Jake Paul on December 19, 2025, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, the boxing world has been buzzing with reactions ranging from praise for Joshua’s class to criticism of the circus-like buildup.
But the most unexpected development has come from the Paul family side, where Jake’s mother, Pam Stepnick, has made headlines for her fiery comments—though not quite in the way some viral rumors suggested.
The fight itself was never in serious doubt. Joshua, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion, overwhelmed the YouTuber-turned-boxer with superior size, power, and experience.
Paul, weighing in significantly lighter and facing his toughest opponent to date, was dropped multiple times before the referee waved it off in the sixth round after a crushing right hand.
Paul later revealed he suffered a double broken jaw, requiring surgery with titanium plates and tooth removal, forcing him onto a liquid diet for at least a week. Despite the brutal outcome, Paul showed resilience in surviving as long as he did against a fighter of Joshua’s caliber.
Post-fight, one of the most talked-about moments occurred ringside. Joshua, in a display of sportsmanship that drew widespread admiration, made his way through the crowd to personally approach Paul’s parents, Gregory and Pam Stepnick.
Confirming she was Jake’s mother, Joshua offered a brief apology, saying, “It’s just a fight,” and “It’s just the fight game.” Stepnick later praised the gesture on her son Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, noting, “Even Anthony Joshua had some class.
He worked his way through the crowd and came up to me and said, ‘Mom, it’s just boxing. It’s just the fight game.’”
However, Stepnick’s emotions ran high in other directions. Appearing on the same podcast shortly after the bout, she expressed intense frustration—not toward Joshua, whom she respected for his composure and apology—but at promoter Eddie Hearn.
She described wanting to “get in that ring and punch Eddie Hearn” due to his perceived smug celebration while her son was struggling and later injured. “He literally thinks he’s better than everyone in the world,” she said of Hearn.
“Jake’s over there struggling and he’s sitting over there smiling like the cat who swallowed the cream. Guess what? Did he f****** get in the ring? It’s sick.”
Social media, ever quick to amplify and distort, soon twisted these raw, maternal sentiments into exaggerated claims.
Viral posts and memes began circulating suggesting Stepnick was directly challenging Anthony Joshua’s mother, Yeta Odusanya, to a “revenge” bout or some form of maternal showdown, framing it as “if AJ handled Jake, then it’s only right the moms settle it next.” The narrative painted a picture of escalating family drama, with Stepnick supposedly demanding a grudge match to avenge her son’s defeat.
In reality, no such challenge exists. Stepnick’s comments were directed squarely at Hearn and the broader spectacle, not Odusanya or anyone in Joshua’s camp.
Odusanya, who raised Joshua largely as a single mother after separating from his father when Anthony was 12, has remained a low-key but supportive figure throughout her son’s career. Joshua has often spoken of her as his priority, crediting her for his grounding amid fame and fortune.
She has not commented publicly on the Paul fight or any related drama.
The misinformation highlights how quickly online narratives can spin out of control, especially in the hyper-charged world of influencer boxing. Paul’s crossover appeal has always thrived on controversy, trash talk, and family involvement—his brother Logan frequently co-hosts discussions, and their mother has occasionally weighed in on family matters.
But this time, the viral twist turned a protective mother’s honest frustration into a fabricated feud that never happened.
Meanwhile, the actual fallout continues to focus on the fight’s implications. Paul, who entered with a record of 12-1 (with his only prior loss a decision), now sits at 12-2 and has hinted at continuing his career after recovery, despite the setback.
Joshua, improving to 29-4, used the win to call out Tyson Fury for a potential all-British blockbuster, reaffirming his status among the heavyweight elite.
As the dust settles on this Netflix-streamed spectacle—which drew massive global viewership—it’s clear the real story lies in the contrast: Joshua’s quiet professionalism inside and outside the ring versus the ongoing noise of the Paul brand.
Pam Stepnick’s candid words underscored a mother’s protective instinct, but they were never about starting a family rivalry. In boxing, as in life, sometimes the loudest headlines are the ones that stray furthest from the truth.
As the dust settles on this Netflix-streamed spectacle—which drew massive global viewership—it’s clear the real story lies in the contrast: Joshua’s quiet professionalism inside and outside the ring versus the ongoing noise of the Paul brand.
Pam Stepnick’s candid words underscored a mother’s protective instinct, but they were never about starting a family rivalry. In boxing, as in life, sometimes the loudest headlines are the ones that stray furthest from the truth.