Anthony Joshua thanks fans as he shares ‘Slo-Mo’ clip of his KO win to Kubrat Pulev: Watch

Anthony Joshua retained his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO world heavyweight titles in a dominant fashion against mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev on December 12 at Wembley Arena. Anthony Joshua won by a ninth-round TKO but started dominating from the third round when he shook the Bulgarian with a vicious left punch. Even though Kubrat Pulev continuously kept on getting up, he was rarely able to take over. Not only was he cut, but he also hit the canvas three times before the referee called proceedings to a halt.

Kubrat Pulev knockout: Anthony Joshua receives a major welcome in London

This was Anthony Joshua’s first fight on his home soil since beating Alexander Povetkin by TKO in the seventh round in September 2018. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wembley Stadium saw 1000 fans, who cheered for the Watford native on Saturday. Anthony Joshua traded some hard punches with Kubrat Pulev, before flourishing in the third and taking over.

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The 31-year-old also lived up to Eddie Hearn's promises that he had evolved as a boxer. He looked shredded, mature, and was even quick on his feet – which has been his biggest weakness in the past. While some fans questioned why AJ didn’t finish Kubrat Pulev in the initial rounds, others were impressed with his stamina and power.

Some even praised the unified champion taking the bout to the later rounds, as Pulev stood no chance of recovering from a well-calculated KO. In fact, after the bout, Anthony Joshua shared slow-motion footage from the ninth round, which focuses on the pivotal moment when Joshua dodged Pulev’s punch and delivered a clean right hand to take the KO win.

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Kubrat Pulev knockout: Anthony Joshua calls out Tyson Fury

After successfully defending his titles, AJ made it clear that he has his eyes set on Tyson Fury's WBC title, the only crown missing in his collection. While speaking at the post-fight press conference, the 31-year-old revealed that he wants to win all the heavyweight titles, and for that to happen, he has to defeat 'The Gypsy King'.

“I've been chasing all the belts. I've been dealing with mandatories. Of course, I want the challenge. It's not about the opponent, it's about the legacy and the belt. Whoever has got the belt, I would love to compete with them. If that is Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury. It's no big deal,” he added.

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Image Source: AP