Anthony Joshua knocks out Wladimir Klitschko in a heavyweight classic

IBF heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua climbed off the canvas to defeat all-time great Wladimir Klitschko in a back-and-forth fight for the ages.

Joshua was always the bookmakers favourite heading into Saturday’s showdown but there is an age-old saying in boxing: ‘Every great fighter has one last great fight in them.’

Unfortunately for Klitschko, the evening was all Joshua as ‘AJ’ launched himself into superstardom with one of the greatest ever performances from an English boxer.

Before the fight, Mike Tyson compared Joshua to George Foreman but, dressed in a white robe, the Londoner actually brought back memories to a vintage Iron Mike.

With a ten-pound weight advantage, Joshua was able to fight with the merciless destruction of a wrecking ball.

His fine balance and appreciation of distance allowed him to find range with lead jabs in the first round and, by the third, he unleashed solid three punch combinations.

Klitschko had his moments. After all, the Ukrainian is a wily pro who mastered his unique style long ago. His footwork was extraordinary for a 41-year-old man and he demonstrated a technical ability that few can match.  

But this was a story of Joshua’s remarkable strength. This was a story of Joshua’s exciting brutality. And this was a story of a punching power that saw Klitschko crumble to the canvas in a dramatic fifth round thanks to an AJ onslaught.

Klitschko was stunned and wobbled around the ring after climbing to his feet. But the veteran recuperated quickly to daze Joshua with precise left hooks, crunching right hands, and chin-cracking uppercuts.

Was there life in the old dog yet?

In the sixth round, as rabid as a mutt out of hell, Klitschko bit Joshua bad. It was a shot that could be heard as loudly at ringside as it could at home and Joshua was down.

Yes, Klitschko fired a bow and arrow right hand into Joshua’s cheekbone and the home fighter dropped to the floor in front of his own fans. You could almost feel the silence.

That right hand was vintage Klitschko and had knocked out so many opponents.

But was it all over? No! Joshua made the count. He was down, but not out. Joshua rose to his feet and survived the round.

The rest of the fight was a high-octane chess match. Klitschko channelled the greats of the game who fought well into their forties as he showed an athleticism that was every match for the younger man.

More follows.

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