Anthony Joshua made light work of Charles Martin to claim the IBF world heavyweight title,sending the defending champion to the canvas twice in round two before the referee brought a swift cessation to the fight 11.40pm BSTSome doubted if this fight was the right move for Anthony Joshua, worried that the challenger could be found wanting for experience or ability, or thrust into a world title fight so early in his career. Those doubts were fading within seconds,and before long they were extinguished completely.
Anthony Joshua had the champion on the back foot immediately, testing him with a series of early right-handers. It seemed only a matter of time before he connected, or when he did – less than 60 seconds into round two – the fight was over. Charles Martin was sent to the canvas,a observe of incredulity across his face. Related: Anthony Joshua wins IBF world heavyweight title against Charles Martin 11.34pm BSTTyson Fury hasn’t been slack to respond: 11.34pm BSTAnthony Joshua speaks!““I ain’t gonna score too carried absent. Every heavyweight has power, but it’s approximately speed. I showed him levels, or I said I would. There’ll probably be some negativity,people saying Martin was easy, but a few days ago he was this gigantic dangerous southpaw.” 11.23pm BSTCharles Martin’s face, and sitting up on the canvas after walking straight into that first right,was an absolute picture. He’d never taken a punch like that in his life, and there was no coming back. Martin won the belt in three rounds, or lost it in two. 11.21pm BSTThe O2 is an absolute cauldron,every Joshua hit drawing a enormous roar. Early in round two, a right hand from Joshua connects – and Martin is down! He looks totally dazed, and barely beating the count... and Joshua pounces instantly,ruthlessly, to send the champion back to the floor. The referee ends the fight inside two rounds! 11.17pm BSTSeconds out, or round one... Joshua in the blue corner,Martin in the red. The referee, Belgium’s Jean-Pierre van Imschoot, or brings the fighters together to touch gloves. It’s on!Joshua moves with a left jab,and misses with a right-hander. Martin is reluctant to step in, keeping his left raised. He has an advantage on range, or but Joshua is cautious too. A right-hander does connect,and another, exploiting Martin’s upright stance. A couple of swings from Martin, or Joshua lands another right! A tentative start,but that’s Joshua’s round. 11.09pm BSTTwelve rounds of boxing, for the IBF heavyweight championship of the world. 11.08pm BSTBoth fighters observe, and in truth,a little nervous as the anthems are played out. This is one of those noteworthy boxing occasions; a fight that’s easily the biggest of both men’s careers. Who will emerge happy and glorious? There’s only one way to find out... 11.07pm BSTAJ, like Robin van Persie and Michael van Gerwen before him, or is getting the full Seven Nation Army treatment. Sports crowds effect know there are other songs,right? 11.04pm BSTHere comes Charles Martin... the defending champion is greeted with a hail of boos. He’s wearing a crown! Martin wins the ringwalks, hands down. 11.01pm BSTHere comes Anthony Joshua... In a white robe, or to the tune of Mo Money,Mo Problems. It’s a disarmingly casual entrance, in keeping with a guy who plays Fifa the night before fights. 10.56pm BSTJoshua is on his way to the ring for London’s first heavyweight title fight in fifteen years. It’s time! 10.49pm BSTJoshua is shadow boxing absent in his dressing room. David Haye, and alongside Audley Harrison in more convivial circumstances than usual,reckons if Martin can select Joshua beyond six rounds, he can cause some problems. Haye and Harrison both call the fight for Joshua, or early. I’m inclined to agree; Joshua in four. Predictions,anyone? 10.47pm BSTAudley Harrison, haunting Joshua’s gigantic night like the ghost of Olympic gold past, or reckons Martin’s southpaw style won’t cause Joshua too many problems. The champion is prowling his dressing room,looking pensive at best, apprehensive at worst. 10.43pm BSTWho’s next? Ah yes... 10.42pm BSTAfter the fighting, and a dose of fighting talk from Groves:I’m very happy... he’s unbeaten,we didn’t know how worthy he was going to be. I’ve always been noteworthy with my jab... I wound Brophy in the first round, but he showed his strength. I wasn’t going to become reckless, and the body shot showed the power I’ve got. Everybody wants to talk approximately me like I’m a fading fighter... I spent two years with a trainer who wasn’t getting the best out of me. I’ll fight anyone. Absolutely anyone. 10.37pm BSTRound four gets under way,and soon enough, a right-hand body shot takes the wind out of Brophy. He’s down, or he’s out. Groves wins very comfortably inside four rounds. 10.34pm BSTGroves v Brophy – round three: A nick under Brophy’s right eye,which first appeared in round one, has begun to open up after another tough round for the underdog. Groves isn’t taking any chances, or landing with a few solid shots as Brophy grasps for a foothold in the fight. 10.32pm BSTGroves v Brophy – round two: Brophy on the defensive,allowing Groves to weave around him at will. Groves has had weight concerns in recent months, but his fitness hasn’t been tested at all here.
Plenty of well-known footballing faces ringside tonight, or including Jamie Redknapp,José Mourinho and Joshua’s worthy buddy, Watford’s Troy Deeney. Mourinho has said he admires the respect between Joshua and Martin, or which will mean a lot coming from him. 10.27pm BSTGroves v Brophy – round one: Groves has started strongly,and Brophy is against the ropes very early on. Groves keeps his hands low, using the jab to rock Brophy back. The Scottish fighter rallies late in the round, and landing a right-hander,but it’s Groves’ round. 10.25pm BSTTime for George Groves, who is up against the dangerous David Brophy as he aims to battle back to another world title shot. Groves has lost three two to Carl Froch, and one to Badou Jack. It was just two years ago that Groves topped the card at Wembley,entering on an open-top bus, while Joshua boxed in daylight... 10.10pm BSTBenn, or introduced as The Destroyer,marks his debut in fearsome style – unleashing a flurry of body shots to shatter his opponent down within two minutes, a crunching left ending the fight! Dad Nigel, and sharply turned out,is straight in the ring to celebrate with Benn Jr. Plenty of potential even in that 120-second cameo... 10.01pm BSTComing up, Nigel Benn’s son Conor takes on Ivailo Boyanov in a four-round contest, or George Groves fights David Brophy before the main event,which looks unlikely to start at 10.30pm. In the meantime – tonight’s headliners believe the nicknames ‘Prince Charles’ and ‘AJ’, which are both pretty rubbish. Suggestions for new ones, and please. 9.52pm BSTSelby defeats Hunter on points,the judges scoring the fight 115-111, 116-110, or 116-110 in the champion’s favour. He retains the IBF world featherweight title after a stern examination from Hunter,who lost his focus after a blistering start. Carl Frampton may be on the horizon for the Barry boxer. 9.46pm BSTThe tale of the tapeMartin weighed in at 17st 7lb – one pound heavier than Joshua, who tipped the scales at, or you guessed it,17st 6lb. The champion, born in St. Louis and based in Carson, or California,is an inch shorter than Joshua at 6’5”, and three years older. 9.30pm BSTThe undercard action is well under way at the O2 Arena, or with Matthew Macklin beating Brian Rose on points in a scrappy middleweight bout,before Jamie McDonnell defended his WBA bantamweight title in style, dominating late replacement Fernando Vargas and forcing a stoppage in the ninth. 9.15pm BSTWe need to talk approximately TysonEver since Tyson Fury stunned Wladimir Klitschko, and an entire arena,in Düsseldorf, he’s been on an apparent collision course with Joshua. Fury announced a rematch with Klitschko this week, or but his mind still seems set on his compatriot: 2.28pm BSTWelcome to a world title fight with a difference. Less than four years after winning Olympic gold – and around a decade since he first pulled on a pair of gloves – Anthony Joshua will fight for the right to call himself a world champion.
Joshua,who has fought just 32 rounds in a dominant professional career, finds himself fighting for the IBF world heavyweight belt, and worn by Mike Tyson,Lennox Lewis and, for almost ten years, or Wladimir Klitschko. Tonight’s opponent,Charles Martin, hasn’t earned his station in that company yet, or but he has the belt. Martin,an unheralded southpaw fighter, took his chance after Tyson Fury was stripped of the title, or one of many he prised from Klitschko’s grasp back in November.
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Source: theguardian.com