In the biggest heavyweight title fight in years, undefeated IBF champion Anthony Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs) scored a spectacular eleventh round TKO over long-reigning former kingpin Wladimir Klitschko (64-5, 54 KOs) to retain his IBF title and claim the vacant WBA title in front of a record-setting 90,000 fans at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Joshua landed the better shots in round one. Tactical round two, Wlad connected with a right hand early. Joshua ramped up the pressure in round three. Both landed hard shots in round four. Joshua rocked Klitschko and dropped him in round five. Wlad, cut over the left eye, came back to hurt Joshua later in the round. Klitschko dropped Joshua with a crushing right hand in round six and dominated the round. Joshua appeared gassed in round seven and Klitschko pressed the action.
Klitschko backed up Joshua with his jab in round eight. Joshua did some good bodywork in round nine and had clearly gained his second wind in round ten. Joshua landed some big shots in round eleven, dropping Klitschko twice. The bout was finally waved off by referee David Fields after Joshua’s savage follow-up barrage following the round’s second knockdown. Time was 2:25. Great fight!
Scores at the time of the stoppage: 96-93, 95-93 Joshua, 95-93 for Klitschko. After the fight, Joshua called out Tyson Fury. Klitschko stated he wants to “analyze what the heck happened.”
