Jake Paul KOs Andre August in 1st round of boxing match

Jake Paul made a statement in his return to the ring.

The YouTube star-turned-prizefighter knocked out Andre August with a vicious right uppercut at the 2:32 mark of the first round in a cruiserweight boxing match Friday night in Orlando.

It was Paul's first stoppage win since he knocked out former UFC champion Tyron Woodley in December 2021 and his quickest victory since defeating Ben Askren in 1 minute, 59 seconds in April 2021.

"I said first-round knockout all week," Paul said in his postfight interview. "I manifested this. ... I said I need to bring back the old 'Problem Child.' I've been too nice with these people, letting them go into the later rounds."

The fight against August represented a change in strategies for Paul, a professional boxer since 2020 who's made a name for himself by primarily fighting former MMA fighters. August was the most experienced - but least known - boxer Paul had faced to date, bringing a 10-1-1 pro record into the bout. The fight streamed on DAZN - but not via pay-per-view - and took place at a smaller venue than usual for Paul's fights: the Caribe Royale resort hotel.

Paul made a shushing gesture during the official decision and said afterward he was "silencing the critics."

"Everyone who has something to say about me. 'Oh, he can't do this, he can't sell, he's not big, what is he doing fighting this guy, fighting that guy,'" Paul said. "Shut the f--k up."

The victory was one of the easiest of Paul's career. The 26-year-old landed a jab in the opening seconds and then a few body punches. August landed a right hand but was mostly a walking target for the much busier Paul. August showed signs of being a low-level boxer, constantly ducking down when Paul hit him.

With seconds left in the opening round, Paul dropped August with a devastating uppercut. August was badly hurt but managed to briefly stumble to his feet as the referee waved off the contest.

Before the fight, Paul said he planned to take a more traditional approach to his rise in boxing moving forward - starting with the August fight - in hopes of becoming a world champion. However, he said after the win he wasn't sure what knocking out August proved.

"This is all part of the process, the next step to world champion," Paul said. "Clearly, these guys can't hang with me."

Paul improved to 8-1 with five knockouts as a pro. He was coming off a unanimous decision win over former UFC star Nate Diaz in a blockbuster 10-round bout in the summer. That matchup took place at the 20,000-capacity American Airlines Center in Dallas, making for a far different scene than Paul's fight against August.

Paul also holds wins over Woodley (twice), UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva, and former MMA titleholder Askren. The Cleveland native's lone loss came against boxer Tommy Fury via split decision in February.

August, a 35-year-old from Texas, fell to 10-2-1 as a pro. This was his second fight of 2023 after returning from a four-year layoff this past summer.

When asked how soon he wants to fight again, Paul said an announcement is coming next week but wouldn't give specifics. "The Problem Child" confirmed he still intends to fight "more boxing prospects" moving forward to gain "more experience."

"And if the money fights wanna come, I got smoke for them, too," Paul said. "But right now, I'm focused on being the best in the world."