Bidarian: Paul lost to Joshua 'because of the size difference'

Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said he believes the only reason Jake Paul lost to Anthony Joshua was the vast size difference between the two.

Paul squared off with Joshua in a professional heavyweight bout Friday in Miami, suffering a sixth-round knockout loss and a double broken jaw in the toughest test of his boxing career.

Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight champion, weighed in 27 pounds heavier than Paul and boasted a six-inch reach advantage and a five-inch edge in height. Bidarian, Paul's adviser and business partner, said he showed "unbelievable heart" by reaching the sixth round against a much larger fighter.

"Jake Paul lasted a lot longer than anyone said he was going to," Bidarian said at the postfight press conference. "I haven't seen the official scorecards ... but I think he might've won a round or two or even three. He was doing tremendously well in there against a person who is vastly more skilled, vastly larger, vastly more powerful."

He added: "The reality is, Jake lost because of the size difference. Not because of the skill difference. AJ was hanging on that neck, pushing him down, and when you have someone that heavy constantly doing that, it does suck the energy out of you."

Paul was initially scheduled to face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis - who competes at 135 pounds - in a Nov. 14 exhibition bout. However, he moved on from that matchup after Davis was accused of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress in a civil lawsuit filed by an ex-girlfriend.

Paul agreed to face Joshua a month later instead.

The YouTube star turned boxer's professional record fell to 12-2 with the loss to Joshua.