Last straw: Is it time to stop caring about Jake Paul's boxing career?

"I can't believe I watched this."

That was a text message I received after Jake Paul's latest Netflix boxing spectacle against former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on Friday night in Miami. This time, Paul fought an elite boxer, not a washed-up MMA fighter or internet celebrity. He was a massive underdog going in and looked the part once the bell rang. Paul circled around the ring, content to simply stay out of harm's way. But that couldn't last forever. Joshua finally uncorked a literal jaw-crushing knockout in the sixth round to give the boxing community the Jake Paul knockout loss it had been waiting years to see.

Even then, though, nothing was satisfying about any of this. If you'd been waiting to see Paul finally take on a real challenge and pay for it, well, he got paid a lot for it and didn't even get knocked fully unconscious. A letdown.

As for Joshua, the only way for him to meet expectations was by finishing Paul early on, and that didn't happen. Again, a letdown.

And if you were rooting for chaos, Paul came up very, very short of pulling off a miracle. You guessed it, another letdown.

Financials aside, everyone lost in this equation - the audience most of all.

The truth is, this isn't the first time people have felt robbed of their Friday or Saturday night after a Jake Paul fight. Many share the sentiment of that text message - I can't believe I got suckered in and watched this abomination - anytime he steps into the ring. Paul is the fight game's ultimate swindler. When was the last time he had a "fun" bout, Anderson Silva in 2022? People get caught up in the theatrics of it all - the polarizing persona, the press conferences, the bold predictions - and trick themselves into having outlandish expectations. But then they tune in, reality quickly sets in, and they remember who Paul is: a 28-year-old who's boxed at a relatively low level for half a decade. There's no hiding that fact when he actually steps into the ring.

It's a constant disappointment, a recurring damp squib. But that's not Paul's problem. He's just being a smart businessman. It's everyone else's.

Despite Paul's promises to win a world title one day, it's been clear from the start that none of this is about him becoming a world-class boxer or climbing the ladder the traditional way. It's always been about entertainment and money, nothing more. So, if it's not even fun to watch, what's the point?

Paul's career may continue for years to come. He said after the loss to Joshua that he plans to take some time off but was adamant we'll see him again. He's made millions as a boxer and has no reason to give up on his lucrative partnership with Netflix. Plus, there will always be someone lining up to fight him, whether it's a UFC champion, an NFL wide receiver, or perhaps even heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Now that Joshua has broken the proverbial seal, who's to say other genuine boxers won't follow his lead given the massive payday that comes attached to these events?

But will there always be people lining up to watch him fight? Until now, the answer has been yes, unequivocally.

After this latest fiasco with Joshua, it feels like the appetite within the boxing community - and outside of it - to see Jake Paul in a boxing ring is starting to dry up.

People can only be deceived so many times. This felt like one too many.