Referee Christopher Young is earning praise for his performance on Friday night.
The 565-bout veteran was the man in the middle when Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul.
Before the brutal sixth-round finish, it was tough to watch the biggest mismatch of 2025.
Jake Paul ran around the ring to avoid his opponent. When Anthony Joshua got close, the YouTuber-turned-boxer would shoot in for takedowns that may come in handy if he ever makes the transition to MMA.
LATEST NEWS: Anthony Joshua breaks Jake Paul’s jaw as YouTuber reveals boxing future after KO defeat
Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images for Netflix
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua referee steals the show
Christopher Young called a brief halt to the action with just seven seconds left in round four.
The referee brought Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua together to give them a telling off.
“The fans didn’t pay to see this crap,” Young said.
“If you’re going to fight, you’re going to fight within the rules.”
Commentator Mauro Ranallo was the first to give the referee credit for his intervention.
“Christopher Young with the call of the night,” he said on the live Netflix broadcast.
“THE FANS DIDN’T PAY TO SEE THIS CRAP.”THE REF TO JAKE PAUL AND ANTHONY JOSHUA LIVE NOW ONLY ON NETFLIX! #JakeJoshua pic.twitter.com/T56lwxTuEh— Netflix Sports (@netflixsports) December 20, 2025
A clip of the fight flashpoint quickly made its way to social media, where fans shared their thoughts.
Ref said what we were all thinking,” one fan said. While another added: “RESPECT TO THE REF!”
“The realest ref ever,” someone else tweeted.
“What a quote,” another X user wrote.
“Big W by the ref,” someone else commented.
“Give that man a raise, lol,” a sixth fan demanded.
Has your respect for Jake Paul increased following his fight against Joshua?
Photo by Giorgio VIERA / AFP via Getty Images
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2025-12-20 11:00:00
