Joshua delivers vicious KO to retain belts

Anthony Joshua retained his world heavyweight titles with a ninth-round knockout of Kubrat Pulev on Sunday (AEDT), doubtlessly organising an all-British battle in opposition to Tyson Fury to be undisputed champion of boxing’s marquee division.

Joshua had already knocked down the plucky however one-dimensional Pulev 3 times — twice within the third spherical — when he unleashed a proper hook that despatched the 39-year-old Bulgarian to the canvas as soon as once more.

This time, Pulev could not rise up and Joshua raised his proper fist within the air.

After months of boxing fights in empty British venues, as much as 1,000 spectators — a restricted quantity that included boxing royalty in Floyd Mayweather — have been inside Wembley Enviornment to see Joshua make a profitable first protection of the WBA, IBF, WBO titles since regaining them in a rematch in opposition to Andy Ruiz Jr.

Now he has accomplished away with the obligatory problem of Pulev, Joshua can flip to his final purpose of being undisputed champion — the primary within the heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

He has an settlement in precept with Tyson Fury, the WBC champion, for a two-fight deal in 2021 to unify all 4 titles in an all-British blockbuster. It will be one of many largest fights in residing reminiscence, actually the most important in British boxing historical past.

“Since I got here into this sport in 2013, I’ve been chasing all of the belts,” Joshua stated.

“I’ve been coping with mandatories. After all I would like the problem — it isn’t in regards to the opponent, it is in regards to the legacy and the belts.

“Whoever has bought the belt, I might like to compete with them. If that’s Tyson Fury, let it’s Tyson Fury.”

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, was extra direct, saying Fury was “the one battle to signal subsequent”.

“Since he (Joshua) got here into my workplace, he needed to be undisputed champion of the world,” Hearn stated.

“We’re going to be pleasant, we’re going to be good, we all know what now we have to do ranging from tomorrow: to make the Tyson Fury battle straightaway.

“It is the one battle to be made in boxing. It is the most important battle in boxing.”

Fury uploaded a video on Twitter quickly after Joshua and Hearn spoke, saying Joshua “went across the bushes” when requested if he needed to battle Fury.

“I would like the battle, I would like the battle subsequent,” Fury stated. “I will knock him out inside three rounds.”

Fury’s promoter, Bob Arum of High Rank, stated that he would rapidly begin work on making the battle.

Joshua confirmed a mix of endurance and energy to earn his 24th win in 25 fights as an expert.

After sizing up Pulev in what was the primary battle in a yr for each boxers, Joshua made his opponent stumble with a proper hook and Pulev staggered to the nook and turned his again, forcing an eight-count.

Pulev smiled, however was quickly down on the canvas after a flurry of punches that ended with a fierce proper uppercut by Joshua.

Pulev bought up and confirmed resolve to get again in a battle he was all the time behind.

Joshua all the time had the measure of Pulev, utilizing his left jab to nice impact and hurting Pulev with repeated uppercuts.

It was the proper uppercut that knocked Pulev down, for a 3rd time, close to the tip of the ninth spherical earlier than Joshua completed him with an enormous proper hand that Pulev walked into.

The battle was stopped with two seconds to go within the spherical.