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Anthony Joshua retained his world heavyweight titles with a ninth round knockout of Kubrat Pulev today, which could set up an all-British fight against Tyson Fury to be the undisputed champion of boxing’s top division.
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Joshua retained his WBA, IBF and WBO titles, paving the way for a possible reunification fight with Tyson Fury. Source: DAZN
Joshua had already knocked down the brave but one-dimensional Pulev three times, twice in the third round, when he threw a right hook that sent the 39-year-old Bulgarian to the mat once more.
This time, Pulev couldn’t get up and Joshua raised his right fist in the air.
After months of boxing matches in empty British venues, up to 1,000 spectators, a limited number that included boxing royalty Floyd Mayweather, were inside Wembley Arena to watch Joshua make a successful first defense of the WBA titles, the IBF and WBO since winning them back in a rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr.
Now that he has removed the mandatory challenge from Pulev, Joshua can turn to his ultimate goal of being the undisputed champion, the first in the heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
He has an agreement in principle with Tyson Fury, the WBC champion, for a two-fight deal in 2021 to unify all four titles into an all-British blockbuster. It would be one of the biggest fights in living memory, certainly the biggest in British boxing history.
“Since I came to this game in 2013, I have been chasing all the belts,” Joshua said. “I’ve been dealing with mandates. Of course I want the challenge – it’s not about the opponent, it’s about the legacy and the belts.
“Whoever has the belt, I would love to compete with them. If that’s Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn was more forthright, calling Fury “the only fight to sign next.”
“Ever since he (Joshua) came into my office, he wanted to be the undisputed champion of the world,” Hearn said. “We’re going to be friendly, we’re going to be friendly, we know what we have to do starting tomorrow: get the Tyson Fury to fight right away.
“It is the only fight you can do in boxing. It is the biggest fight in boxing.”
Fury uploaded a video on Twitter shortly after Joshua and Hearn spoke, saying that Joshua “went around the bush” when asked if he wanted to fight Fury.
“I want the fight, I want the fight next,” Fury said. “I’ll knock him out in three rounds.”
Joshua showed a mixture of patience and power to achieve his 24th win in 25 professional fights.
After evaluating Pulev in what was the first fight in a year for both fighters, Joshua tripped his opponent with a right hook and Pulev staggered to the corner and turned his back on him, forcing an eight count.
Pulev smirked, but soon fell to the canvas after a series of punches that ended with a fierce right uppercut from Joshua.
Pulev stood up and showed determination to come back in a fight he was always behind.
Joshua always had Pulev’s measure, using his left jab to great effect and hurting Pulev with repeated uppercuts.
It was the right uppercut that dropped Pulev, for the third time, near the end of the ninth round before Joshua finished it off with a huge right hand that Pulev entered.
The fight was stopped with two seconds left in the round.
