JAKARTA - World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua knocked out Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev towards the end of the ninth round to defend the IBF, WBO and WBA belts at Wembley Arena, London, Saturday or Sunday WIB.
The 31-year-old Englishman almost won a quicker win when he knocked out Pulev in the third round, but the challenger was able to bounce back to test the home favorites in front of a 1,000 crowd.
However, there was no escape for the challenger in the ninth round as Joshua landed a right upper-cut which sent Pulev to the canvas. The 39 year old boxer gets up but Joshua uses his other right hand to end the duel.
The champions' 24th win in 25 professional fights opens the door to another exciting title unification clash next year with fellow British boxer Tyson Fury who now holds the WBC belt.
"I'm sticking to what I know best, seeing where I'm going to hit," Joshua said in the ring after the match.
Asked about fighting Fury, Joshua posed a question to the audience: "Who wants to see Anthony Joshua take on Tyson Fury in 2021," he said, which was greeted with enthusiasm by the audience.
32-year-old Fury, whose brother Hughie is fighting in extra parties, was quick to respond with a tweet on Twitter.
"I want to fight, I want the next fight, I'll knock him out in three rounds," he said.
Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, was eager to bring the two British boxers together, saying: "Starting tomorrow, we are immediately planning a fight with Tyson Fury. This is the only fight that can be fought in boxing. This is the biggest fight in British boxing history. . "
The Joshua-Pulev fight, originally scheduled for the Tottenham Hotspur Football Stadium in June but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is very exciting.
Pulev's only defeat in his previous 29 matches came in 2014 against Wladimir Klitschko and the Bulgarian proved to be a worthy contender for the championship belt on Joshua's waist.
After a tactical start, Joshua unleashed a powerful combination in the second half, which Pulev greeted with a grin. The Bulgarian boxer struggled in the third round when he was hit on the right cheek. Joshua throws one more punch to finish it but Pulev somehow survives the onslaught until the bell rings.
Pulev regained his composure in the fourth round, and Joshua looked a little hesitant, despite his superior firepower.
In rounds five to eight the fight was intense. However, by the time the ninth round started, Joshua had already seen signs of winning the duel. The moment came near the end of the ninth round when Joshua found an opportunity to hit the challenger with a series of punches. A sharp upper-cut produced a devastating finish and the defending champion was knocked out and entitled to return to the belt of the IBF, WBO and WBA world heavyweight championships.
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