GreatWhiteDope
2017-04-30 00:38:45 UTC
http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/joshua-knocks-out-klitschko-for-heavyweight-title/ar-BBAwM22?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartandhp
Joshua knocks out Klitschko for heavyweight title
Associated Press
By TIM DAHLBERG, AP Boxing Writer
LONDON (AP) -- Anthony Joshua survived the first knockdown of his
young career, coming back to drop Wladimir Klitschko twice before
stopping him in the 11th round Saturday night to retain his
heavyweight titles and stake his claim as the boxing's next star.
Before a boisterous crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium, Joshua and
Klitschko traded huge punches in a spectacular fifth round and again
in the sixth before Joshua finally found a way to finish the longtime
former champion late in the fight.
The biggest heavyweight fight in more than a decade had something for
everyone, but in the end it was Joshua who announced himself as the
future of the division. He finally turned things around for good with
a right uppercut early in the 11th round that spun Klitschko's head
around.
He was all over the Ukrainian and dropped him with a left hook, but
Klitschko got up only to take even more punishment. Joshua knocked
Klitschko down again and was landing punches to his head on the ropes
when referee David Fields moved in to stop the bout late in the 11th
round.
"When you go to the trenches that's when you find out who you really
are," Joshua said. "In this small little ring here, there's nowhere to
hide."
The fight was stopped at 2:25 of the 11th. Joshua was up 96-93 and
95-93 on two scorecards, while Klitschko was ahead 95-93 on the third.
The Associated Press had it 94-94 going into the final round.
If the fight was one of the best heavyweight bouts in recent times,
the fifth round was one for the ages. Klitschko went down and Joshua
raised his hands in triumph, only to take severe punishment as
Klitschko came back to batter him late in the round.
Joshua would go down the next round, as the huge crowd quieted and
feared the worst. Somehow, though, he managed to find his legs and
keep Klitschko away before mounting a counter-attack in the 11th round
that won the fight in spectacular fashion.
"If you don't take part, you're going to fail," Joshua said. "Just
give it a go and you never know the outcome."
Klitschko, who reigned over the heavyweight division for a decade, was
fighting both Joshua and Father Time at the age of 41. He looked to be
overmatched in the early rounds, but fought his best after he was
knocked down.
It was anyone's fight when Joshua landed the uppercut that proved
decisive, much to the delight of his countrymen who packed England's
national stadium for the highly anticipated bout.
"As I said I'm not perfect but I'm trying," said Joshua, the 2012
Olympic gold medalist who was fighting for only the 19th time as a
pro.
Joshua had never been beyond seven rounds, and it looked like he might
be running out of gas as he tried to find his legs following the
knockdown in the sixth round. Klitschko, in his 29th world title
fight, seemed to be taking the advantage in the later rounds until the
vicious uppercut sent him spinning across the ring.
"It was really sad I didn't make it tonight," Klitschko said. "I was
planning to do it. It didn't work. But all respect to Anthony."
Joshua defended his heavyweight titles, winning for the 19th time in
as many fights in a bout that lived up to its billing as the best
matchup after a long drought in the heavyweight division. Already a
hero in his native England, he may become one worldwide as he
continues to advance his career at a rapid pace.
Joshua said before the bout that it was just two men in the ring, and
nothing more than that. But it was clear by the crowd's reaction as he
came back to win that it was a lot more than that.
It was a tale of two fights before the final round, with Joshua
dominating early and knocking Klitschko down in the fifth. Just as he
seemed about to finish off his aging opponent, though, Klitschko
landed a straight right hand that put Joshua down and quieted the
stadium.
Joshua barely managed to finish the round, and was still wobbly in the
seventh. He finally began to gather his legs underneath him and, as
the two traded in the 11th round, landed the punch that changed
everything.
"As I said from the get-go, it will be a boxing classic and may the
best man win," the 27-year-old said.
It was a battle of massive heavyweights, with both standing 6-foot-6.
Joshua weighed 250.1 pounds to 240.5 for Klitschko.
Klitschko fell to 64-5 in a long career that began in 1996 after he
won the Olympic gold in Atlanta. In what may have been his last fight,
he was beaten by the Olympic champion from the 2012 Olympics in
London.
Joshua knocks out Klitschko for heavyweight title
Associated Press
By TIM DAHLBERG, AP Boxing Writer
LONDON (AP) -- Anthony Joshua survived the first knockdown of his
young career, coming back to drop Wladimir Klitschko twice before
stopping him in the 11th round Saturday night to retain his
heavyweight titles and stake his claim as the boxing's next star.
Before a boisterous crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium, Joshua and
Klitschko traded huge punches in a spectacular fifth round and again
in the sixth before Joshua finally found a way to finish the longtime
former champion late in the fight.
The biggest heavyweight fight in more than a decade had something for
everyone, but in the end it was Joshua who announced himself as the
future of the division. He finally turned things around for good with
a right uppercut early in the 11th round that spun Klitschko's head
around.
He was all over the Ukrainian and dropped him with a left hook, but
Klitschko got up only to take even more punishment. Joshua knocked
Klitschko down again and was landing punches to his head on the ropes
when referee David Fields moved in to stop the bout late in the 11th
round.
"When you go to the trenches that's when you find out who you really
are," Joshua said. "In this small little ring here, there's nowhere to
hide."
The fight was stopped at 2:25 of the 11th. Joshua was up 96-93 and
95-93 on two scorecards, while Klitschko was ahead 95-93 on the third.
The Associated Press had it 94-94 going into the final round.
If the fight was one of the best heavyweight bouts in recent times,
the fifth round was one for the ages. Klitschko went down and Joshua
raised his hands in triumph, only to take severe punishment as
Klitschko came back to batter him late in the round.
Joshua would go down the next round, as the huge crowd quieted and
feared the worst. Somehow, though, he managed to find his legs and
keep Klitschko away before mounting a counter-attack in the 11th round
that won the fight in spectacular fashion.
"If you don't take part, you're going to fail," Joshua said. "Just
give it a go and you never know the outcome."
Klitschko, who reigned over the heavyweight division for a decade, was
fighting both Joshua and Father Time at the age of 41. He looked to be
overmatched in the early rounds, but fought his best after he was
knocked down.
It was anyone's fight when Joshua landed the uppercut that proved
decisive, much to the delight of his countrymen who packed England's
national stadium for the highly anticipated bout.
"As I said I'm not perfect but I'm trying," said Joshua, the 2012
Olympic gold medalist who was fighting for only the 19th time as a
pro.
Joshua had never been beyond seven rounds, and it looked like he might
be running out of gas as he tried to find his legs following the
knockdown in the sixth round. Klitschko, in his 29th world title
fight, seemed to be taking the advantage in the later rounds until the
vicious uppercut sent him spinning across the ring.
"It was really sad I didn't make it tonight," Klitschko said. "I was
planning to do it. It didn't work. But all respect to Anthony."
Joshua defended his heavyweight titles, winning for the 19th time in
as many fights in a bout that lived up to its billing as the best
matchup after a long drought in the heavyweight division. Already a
hero in his native England, he may become one worldwide as he
continues to advance his career at a rapid pace.
Joshua said before the bout that it was just two men in the ring, and
nothing more than that. But it was clear by the crowd's reaction as he
came back to win that it was a lot more than that.
It was a tale of two fights before the final round, with Joshua
dominating early and knocking Klitschko down in the fifth. Just as he
seemed about to finish off his aging opponent, though, Klitschko
landed a straight right hand that put Joshua down and quieted the
stadium.
Joshua barely managed to finish the round, and was still wobbly in the
seventh. He finally began to gather his legs underneath him and, as
the two traded in the 11th round, landed the punch that changed
everything.
"As I said from the get-go, it will be a boxing classic and may the
best man win," the 27-year-old said.
It was a battle of massive heavyweights, with both standing 6-foot-6.
Joshua weighed 250.1 pounds to 240.5 for Klitschko.
Klitschko fell to 64-5 in a long career that began in 1996 after he
won the Olympic gold in Atlanta. In what may have been his last fight,
he was beaten by the Olympic champion from the 2012 Olympics in
London.