Anthony Joshua is a Great World Champion

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Anthony Joshua v Wladimir Klitschko - - (April 29 2017)


Anthony Joshua produced a brave, devastating display to stop Wladimir Klitschko in the 11th round of their world heavyweight title clash at Wembley.

Joshua was rocked in the fourth round after a tentative start, but came out swinging in round five and a sharp combination had Klitschko on the floor.

The 41-year-old fought fire with fire, hurting Joshua with a minute left on the clock, and it was the younger man who hit the deck after a stinging right hand from the challenger in round six.

Klitschko went on to dominate the middle portion of the fight and was ahead on some cards entering the 11th round, but Joshua had regathered himself for one final, brutal assault.

For the second time in the fight, Klitschko got off the canvas at the start of the penultimate round and he again somehow got to his feet after a second attack, before the referee stepped in with Joshua unloading on a beaten opponent.

"What can I say?" said the champion. "First and foremost, 19 and 0, three-and-a-half years in the game.

"I'm not perfect, but I'm trying.

"I want to give a massive shout out to 90,000 people in the arena.

"As boxing states, you leave your ego at the door and you respect your opponent.

"A massive shout out to Wladimir Klitschko. In terms of the boxing hall of fame, he's a role model in and out of the ring."

"If you don't take part, you're going to fail."

"Boxing is about character. When you go to the trenches, that's when you find out who you really are."

Despite the presence of WBC champion Deontay Wilder ringside, Joshua specifically called out Tyson Fury in a lengthy winner's speech.

"I just want to fight everyone man, I'm really enjoying this right now."

Klitschko, who fought back superbly to dominate for much of the fight but had no answer to Joshua's late assault, was typically magnanimous in defeat.

"The best man won tonight, and it's an amazing event for boxing," he said.

"Two gentlemen fought each other. Anthony was better today than I, it's really sad that I didn't make it tonight, I was planning to do it, but it didn't work.

"But all the respect to Anthony."