Drake Curse Strikes Again: Jake Paul Knocked Out By Anthony Joshua In High-Stakes Bout

Drake watched his $200,000 bet crumble Saturday night as Jake Paul fell short against Anthony Joshua in a widely anticipated boxing match that once again breathed life into the infamous “Drake curse.”

The Canadian rapper had posted a screenshot of his wager on Instagram ahead of the fight, captioning it, “Jakeyyyyy boy. Lock tf in.”

But the gamble didn’t pay off. Joshua overwhelmed Paul in a lopsided contest, adding another name to the growing list of athletes who’ve stumbled after receiving Drake’s public backing.

Anthony Joshua edged the early rounds on the scorecards, but the fight unfolded as a slow, awkward mess with little clean action. Jake Paul relied on movement, light jabs and occasional right hands to survive, repeatedly circling and keeping distance while avoiding major damage.

Joshua applied pressure and landed sporadic body shots, an uppercut and a few glancing blows, mostly in the clinch, but struggled to track Paul or assert control. Both fighters missed frequently, slipped to the canvas multiple times and spent long stretches tied up. A brief stoppage followed when Paul claimed a low blow, with the replay showing

Joshua’s knee made contact during a fall. Despite holding a points lead, Joshua’s inability to dominate or produce meaningful offense left the bout difficult to score and aesthetically ugly, with Paul’s survival through the rounds already feeling like a moral setback for Joshua.

Jake Paul was knocked down twice in a brutal 5th round, but he managed to survive. However, round 6 brought the end for Jake Paul, who was TKO’d.

Drake’s betting history has become something of a running joke in sports circles, with many pointing to his track record of high-profile losses.

The rapper’s hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays, was a recent victim of the curse. After Drake publicly backed them during the 2025 World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers came back to win Game 7.

The Toronto Sun bluntly noted, “The dreaded Drake Curse is being partly blamed for the Toronto Blue Jays’ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.”

The so-called curse gained traction after Drake backed Conor McGregor in his 2018 UFC bout against Khabib Nurmagomedov.

McGregor was submitted in the fourth round, despite being one of the sport’s top draws at the time.

Since then, Drake’s support has coincided with a string of defeats across sports. From Alabama football to the Golden State Warriors and even Serena Williams, the rapper’s endorsements have often preceded unexpected losses.

The trend has become so consistent that some gamblers now use Drake’s bets as a reverse indicator.

Paul himself has felt the sting before. After losing a split decision to Tommy Fury in February 2023, he learned Drake had put $400,000 on him to win. His reaction was blunt.

“F**k. This is Drake’s fault,” Paul said at the post-fight press conference. “Drake, bro, why did you do this to me? It’s my fault. $400,000 is nothing to him. He has won a lot more money betting on me before. He’s probably about even now.”

Paul later joked that he owed Drake an apology for the loss. But with Saturday’s defeat, the curse appears to have struck again.

The odds were stacked against Paul from the start. Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight champion, entered the ring with 25 knockouts in 32 wins and a towering 6-foot-6 frame.

Paul, at 6-foot-1, was a massive underdog at +800, while Joshua sat comfortably at -1200.

Paul entered Saturday’s fight with a 12-1 record. Both of his losses now share one thing in common: Drake’s money riding on his shoulders.

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