Picture Credit: IB Times
Anthony Joshua continued his rise by clinching his first IBF World Heavyweight title after powering past Charles Martin at the O2 Arena.
Martin entered the bout undefeated in his 24 professional bouts, and was expected to trouble the Briton with his southpaw style.
However, the 26-year-old downed the American in the second round with a firm right hand to the face and connected again with another right before the referee ended the bout.
Rising star Joshua
Credit: Guardian.com
Joshua became only the fourth man to win a major title while also holding an Olympic gold medal following his triumph at London 2012.
He is in excellent company as Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks previously achieved the feat, with only the Briton accomplishing the mantle in the past 38 years – certainly an impressive feat.
The ease with which Joshua dismantled the previously undefeated Martin suggests that he is set to continue his dominant run in the IBF for a long time to come.
Joshua has overwhelmed his opponents with his strength and fierce right hand, which has seen him win all 16 of his professional fights by knockouts.
The 26-year-old is an outstanding athlete, earning a three-year deal with Matchroom in 2015, but has yet to put his endurance to the test with a long bout due to his ability to finish his opponents in the early rounds.
Only one of his fights has gone past the third round, which occurred against Dillian Whyte as he wore down his compatriot before ending his resistance in the seventh.
Future opponents
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Following his victory over Martin, Joshua now faces the challenge of defending his title, although he may have to leave home soil to maximize his value.
Joshua has already secured a leading sponsorship deal with sports clothing brand Under Armour but, with his reputation growing in the United States, his marketing value will only increase to match the biggest names in the sport.
The 26-year-old has to face an opponent from the top 15 of the IBF rankings before he attempts to take on WBO and WBA champion Tyson Fury in a unification fight.
In the meantime, Fury will have to overcome Wladimir Klitschko in their rematch, which the British fighter has odds of 5/6 to triumph once again (bookie checked on 3/5).
Promoter Eddie Hearn has highlighted Eric Molina and Dominic Breazeale as possible challengers for Joshua, in a fight which will likely take place over the summer.
Breazeale is undefeated in 17 bouts since making his debut in 2012, including 15 knockouts. He has not faced any boxer currently ranked in the top 15 in the IBF rankings, but would present a physical test to Joshua with his 6ft 7in frame.
Meanwhile, Molina is an experienced competitor of 28 bouts and holder of the Inter-Continental heavyweight title following his victory over Tomasz Adamek.
The 33-year-old has claimed the scalps of DaVarryl Williamson and Raphael Zumbano Love among his 25 professional wins.
Molina faced Deontay Wilder for the WBC in June 2015, but was knocked out by the American in the ninth round at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Should Joshua continue to be on top of his game, he will have no problem with either competitor if the potential showdown were to occur in his next bout.
All signs point to Fury matchup
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Fury defied the odds to defeat Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf on a unanimous points decision, winning the WBO, WBA, IBF and IBO titles.
The 27-year-old ended the Ukrainian’s dominance of the heavyweight division by producing the best fight of his career.
Fury moved well around the ring and altered his stance to confuse Klitschko, which enabled him to land enough strikes to take a lead into the latter rounds of the contest.
Klitschko tried to respond in rounds 11 and 12, but the Englishman had done enough to clinch the title as all three judges handed him the victory on points.
The two men will meet again later this year with Fury recently returning to training ahead of the clash, and the Brit will desperate to retain his WBO and WBA titles after forfeiting the IBF crown, which has now landed in the hands of Joshua.
Following the battle with Klitschko, Fury and Joshua appear to be on a collision course, although both men will have to come through the defences of their crown before the matchup can occur.
Both competitors are the two stars of the sport and in the peak form of their respective careers, so there is an element of wasting valuable time in preparation for a showdown between the duo.
The bout itself would be a fascinating contest, given Fury’s strong record against quality opponents with a pair of victories over Dereck Chisora along with his triumph against Klitschko, while Joshua has proven that he can rise to any occasion.
Fury’s height and reach could cause problems along with his ability with variation, although the raw athleticism and power of Joshua may trouble Fury.
Should the showdown come to fruition, the build-up and the fight itself will surely be a box office hit for the sport and boxing in the United Kingdom.
