Fury awaits as Joshua knocks out Pulev

LONDON: By rediscovering the thrill of a brutal knockout, Anthony Joshua cleared the way to a shot at being the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. With a big right hand that sent Kubrat Pulev, a durable but one-dimensional Bulgarian, to the canvas for a third and final time, Joshua secured a dominant ninth-round win in his UK homecoming to retain the WBA,

WBO and IBF belts.

It wasn’t long before the inevitable question was thrown at him: is WBC champion Tyson Fury next in what would be an all-British blockbuster to unify the four titles in boxing’s marquee division? “Whoever has got the belt, I’d love to compete with them,” Joshua said. “If that is Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury.”

If that felt a slightly non-committal response—and it was taken that way by Fury in a video message he released moments later—Joshua’s promoter, Eddie

Hearn, left no room for debate.

“We know what we have to do starting tomorrow: to make the Tyson Fury fight straightaway,” Hearn said, a big grin on his face. “It’s the only fight in boxing. It’s the biggest fight in boxing.”

Only 1,000 spectators—a number that included boxing royalty in Floyd Mayweather—were allowed inside Wembley Arena and they witnessed a one-sided fight. After sizing up Pulev by taking a cautious approach in the opening two rounds, Joshua went on the attack and made his 39-year-old opponent stumble with a right hook that saw Pulev stagger to the corner and turn his back, forcing an eight-count.

Pulev smiled at Joshua, but was soon sliding down the ropes and onto the canvas after a flurry of punches that ended with a fierce right uppercut by Joshua.

It was the right uppercut that knocked Pulev down again near the end of the ninth round. The end was nigh for Pulev, who got up but walked right onto a huge right hand that sent him shuddering to the canvas.