This past Saturday night, in front of an electrified audience of 90,000+ at Wembley Stadium, IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua squared off against former world champion Wladimir Klitschko. In addition to Joshua’s IBF championship belt, the vacant WBA strap was also up for grabs in this highly anticipated heavyweight showdown.
The fight wound up becoming an extremely action packed entertaining encounter that was filled with high end drama. It was a match where both fighters hit the canvas, and there were several shifts in momentum throughout this gruelling war of attrition. Joshua and Klitschko both put on a fine display of tactical skills, devastating punching power, tremendous heart and courage, and unrelenting determination and desire. It had anything and everything a fan of heavyweight championship boxing could hope for.
Joshua got off to a fast start, and he was controlling the early action through activity, as he threw and landed more punches. In round 5 Joshua hurt Klitschko with a couple of big left hooks that rocked the challenger, and Joshua followed this up and scored a knockdown. Klitschko seemed rejuvenated after suffering the knockdown, and he began fighting far more aggressively than usual. Klitschko bounced back, and he dropped Joshua in the very next round, and seized the momentum. Then it was Klitschko who was controlling the action over the next several rounds.
In round 11, Joshua rallied back and had Klitschko hurt with a monster right uppercut. Joshua jumped on his wounded foe, and knocked Wladimir down for the second time in the contest. Klitschko rose to his feet, and Joshua would soon knock him to the canvas for the third time in the fight. Once again, Klitschko managed to get to his feet, but not long after, Joshua had him in trouble yet again, which prompted referee David Fields to call a halt to the action.
Anthony Joshua is now the unified IBF/WBA heavyweight world champion, and he has a lot of interesting possible match-ups on the horizon, including a high profile unification bout with WBC champion Deontay Wilder, a showdown against fellow countryman Tyson Fury, or even perhaps a rematch against Klitschko. It will be interesting to see whether the 41 year old Klitschko decides to call it a career, or if he decides to fight on and give it one more shot.
This edition of Rummy’s Corner takes a look back at the epic heavyweight showdown that took place this past weekend between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko. Please watch and enjoy the video for one man’s worthless opinion on this instant classic boxing match.
