BRING ON WILDER!
Joshua smashes Povetkin and then calls out American for a mega fight
ANTHONY JOSHUA needed an explosive performance after rather tame displays in his last two fights — and he delivered in style last night.
Joshua stopped veteran Russian challenger Alexander Povetkin in the seventh round to retain his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts.
Joshua remained unbeaten against the 39-year-old but much more importantly he sent a message all the way to America and to outspoken WBC rival Deontay Wilder that he was still ‘The Man’ in the division.
The British boxer’s journey to becoming undisputed champion drew closer — with the winner of Wilder versus Tyson Fury expected to take on Eddie Hearn’s champion next year.
That’s if negotiations can be done, and that could be a big ‘if’ after the way Joshua finished this fight at Wembley.
It came dramatically because Povetkin had been right in the fight for six rounds and rocked Joshua in the first.
But the Briton kept looking for the openings, kept doing the right things even when stung or missing against the awkward shorter man, and it all came good.
Po vet kin was rocked by a combination started by a beautiful right hand and finally sent crashing in a corner by another big right. He bravely got up and referee Steve Gray had a good look at him before allowing him to continue.
But Joshua pounced and Povetkin was being battered on the ropes when t he referee rightly saw sense.
As the third man jumped in to end it Povetkin staggered to the floor.
So the Russian was stopped for the first time in his career and that was a statement t o everyone: Wilder, Fury, Whyte, the lot.
It was a mesmerising end from the champion and just what he needed. He had started poorly but this was the Joshua everyone knows and loves. Stunning and that is why he is the champion.
The opening round was mostly cagey, with both probing before right at the end of the round Povetkin got through with a classy three-punch combination topped by a left hook that wobbled Joshua and drew blood from his nose.
People were asking whether that nose was broken. First round to the challenger.
Round two saw Joshua fighting with the bloody nose throughout and trying to tee up on the smaller man but unable to as Povetkin showed decent upper-body movement.
It was a quiet round but Joshua’s jab edged it. Already it was clear that Joshua was in for a serious fight, though — and a right hand caught him again, on that bloody nose.
Round three and another right, this time an overhand version, surprised Joshua, who hadn’t woken up yet and seemed confused by the smaller man’s speed.
Povetkin kept succeeding in getting in close to the much larger champion. A brief rally at the bell could not rescue the round for the champion.
Finally Joshua’s luck turned in the fourth as Povetkin was cut above his left eye. It looked really nasty and likely to affect his vision.
Joshua was keeping his right hand up as he looked to block off that overhand right from Povetkin. The Russian wanted power punches but that power would wane with every passing round.
But if this fight had a script, this was not how it had been expected to pan out so far.
As Povetkin’s corner worked on the eye referee Gray went to that corner to confirm that the damage had been done by a Joshua punch.
The fifth was a hard round with Povetkin more than holding his own and surprising the champion with sneaky punches.
People had been talking about Wilder, Fury and Whyte but overlooking Alexander Povetkin had already proved a mistake.
The Russian earned his money.
Povetkin continued to stick to the game-plan of sneaky punches but after that early first-round wobble Joshua started to look more solid, if not comfortable.
But the sixth was the first clear round for Joshua as he landed his best shot so far — a chopping right hand. It was a portent of things to come. Povetkin was beginning to look the more tired of the two fighters but he was still keeping Joshua on his toes with slashing punches that now missed.
And finally Povetkin wilted in the seventh as Joshua showed his power and class in that seventh round. Bring on Wilder.