Posts Tagged ‘Anthony Joshua’

Joshua Captures WBO Strap in Tactical Win Over Parker

Posted: April 1, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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21 fights, 3 belts and one more to go. Anthony Joshua went the 12-round distance for the first time last night and taking a wide decision over formerly undefeated Joseph Parker before 80,000 fans at Principality Stadium.

Parker, playing the role of spoiler, fought exclusively off the backfoot while shooting multiple jabs and looking to steal rounds with isolated right hands. This allowed Joshua to methodically press the action behind sporadic straight shots to the body and clipping left hooks inside. Parker showed good defense in avoiding Joshua’s deadly uppercut, but couldn’t get anything going inside due to an inexperienced ref breaking action too quickly.

The slow action through four rounds made the stanzas close, but Joshua continually held the edge due to his aggression and harder shots, particularly when he forced Parker to give ground from jabs. Parker got more aggressive in the middle rounds, briefly stunning Joshua with a short right hook in the fifth and outworking his foe in the seventh. But Parker failed to take any risks afterward and seemed content to make it to the final bell.

The scores reflected this in Joshua winning unanimously 118-110 (twice) and 119-109.

The big news from the contest was the post-fight interview where Joshua declared he wanted Deontay Wilder. I’m still not convinced we get it next, but the public banter will continue building the hype internationally. My gut tells me Wilder does bite and take the Dillian Whyte fight while Joshua gets a massive domestic payday against Tyson Fury. Should Joshua and Wilder retain, we’ll finally get the final unification sometime around May 2019.

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[Live Stream] Anthony Joshua vs. Joseph Parker: Weigh-In, 8:30 am ET, 3/20/18

Posted: March 30, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight News
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Watch the live stream of this morning’s official weigh-in for the heavyweight unification clash between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker. Both men have claimed to have slimmed down for this contest, but who’ll be in better shape? The stream opens at 8:30 a.m. ET with the fight airing on Showtime Saturday March 31 at 5 p.m. ET.

Joshua-Parker Unification Set for March 31 in Wales

Posted: January 14, 2018 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight News
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Joseph Parker celebrates victory over Hughie Fury after the WBO World Heavyweight Title bout at Manchester Arena. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday September 23, 2017. See PA story BOXING Manchester. Photo credit should read: Nick Potts/PA Wire

Heavyweight supremacy is one step closer to reality. Anthony Joshua, unified IBF/WBA titleholder, and Joseph Parker, WBO titlist, will face off on March 31 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

Negotiations had been ongoing for several months, with Parker’s team being vocal about holding out for a “fair split” of the purse proceeds. Although financial figures have not been disclosed, Joshua took to social media to confirm the fight with a video.

Joshua is coming off a high-profile 2017 that saw him retire Wladimir Klitschko with an 11th round TKO last April in the consensus Fight of the Year. His last bout in October was a one-sided 10th round TKO over Carlos Takam. Parker also posted two victories last year over Razvan Cojanu (UD12) and Hughie Fury (MD12).

Joshua’s last fight at Principality Stadium was against Takam and drew over 78,000, breaking an indoor attendance record previously held by Muhammad Ali.

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Despite Parker’s protests about money the last few weeks, we knew this was inevitable. This was Parker’s biggest possible payday and it gives AJ the chance to add a third belt to his collection. Not only is it a credible fight between two undefeated young heavyweights with knockout power, it further cleans up the title picture and brings us one step from the first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis. And for AJ, it gives him further contract leverage over rival and WBC title-holder Deontay Wilder, who faces Luis Ortiz on March 3.

As for the fight, I see another Joshua KO. Parker’s momentum is low considering his lackluster showings against his best opponents in Hughie Fury and Andy Ruiz. Parker likes to barrel in with wide lead hooks and rarely works behind the jab. I see Joshua’s jab befuddling Parker and keeping him in range for right hands and left hooks. I also see the smaller Parker taking lots of damage from AJ’s lethal uppercut. Look for a middle-rounds stoppage that puts the hype even higher for Joshua-Wilder in late 2018.

[Video] Anthony Joshua Stops Takam in 10, Eyes Total Unification for 2018

Posted: October 29, 2017 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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CARDIFF, WALES — Last-minute substitution Carlos Takam proved no match for unified WBA/IBF champion Anthony Joshua, who used his massive size to dominate the inside fighting and score a 10th round stoppage at the Principality Arena.

Takam had a sound strategy of working off the backfoot and seeking to take the fight into the late rounds. Early on, Joshua struggled with cutting off the ring and allowed Takam to wing overhand right counters. Takam also made the champion uncomfortable in the second by leading head first and breaking Joshua’s nose with an unintentional butt.

But at 6’6 and 254 pounds, Joshua’s size began to take its toll. The challenger was lacerated above his right eye by a short left hook. Getting inside was supposed to be Takam’s best chance, but it became a no man’s land where Joshua got off first with right uppercuts and hooks that sent the challenger reeling backwards. Takam went down off such a barrage in the fourth and was later cut above his left eye.

The Frenchman remained competitive and started having limited success as Joshua sought to pace himself. Takam arguably won the seventh and ninth rounds on activity as his overhand right counters forced Joshua to briefly give ground and hold.

In the tenth, Joshua went on the offensive with a right uppercut. A stunned Takam retreated to the ropes while taking several unanswered punches, prompting the referee to quickly jump in amid protests from the challenger.

The win improves Joshua’s record to 20-0 (20 KOs). According to promoter Eddie Hearn, the three targeted bouts for 2018 are WBC titlist Deontay Wilder, WBO title-holder Joseph Parker, and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

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Considering Takam was a last-minute replacement on less than two weeks notice, I won’t be too critical of Joshua’s performance from a technical standpoint. However, his weight and stamina are a growing concern. 254 pounds is a career-high for him and it showed which his decreased punch output over the second half of the fight. The fight was even being fought at a torrid pace. I don’t even expect Joshua to be a high-volume guy due to his muscle mass, but getting in the 245 range would do wonders for his fluidity and deter some of the arm-weariness we see at times.

As for the future, the post-fight presser showed that Wilder likely isn’t next on the cards. Between Hearn and trainer Rob McCracken, there doesn’t seem to be a rush to make the fight, and high importance is placed on keeping all the belts and fulfilling mandatories. Also, it isn’t like Wilder has any leverage — the American slugger won’t even sell-out his November 4 fight in Brooklyn against Bermane Stiverne, while Joshua-Takam just set an closed arena attendance record with 78,000. Joshua has zero reason to travel and can pretty much put Wilder on ice much like Canelo did GGG for a full year.

Expect Parker and Fury (should he return) to get looked at first before Wilder.

[Live Stream] Anthony Joshua vs. Carlos Takam — Final Press Conference, 8:30 am ET, 10/26/17

Posted: October 26, 2017 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight News
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Watch the live stream for the final press conference for Anthony Joshua’s fourth title defense against challenger Carlos Takam.  The bout takes place on Showtime on Saturday October 28 at 5 p.m. ET.

[Video] War at Wembley: Joshua Overcomes Knockdown, Stops Klitschko in 11th

Posted: April 29, 2017 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight Reports
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LONDON — Welcome to the Anthony Joshua era. The undefeated fighter staked his claim to heavyweight supremacy by overcoming a sixth round knockdown to stop former undisputed champion and future Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko in 11 rounds before 90,000 rabid fans at Wembley Stadium.

Although Klitschko displayed spry footwork in the early rounds, it was Joshua who was the active puncher. The titlist kept Klitschko backpeadling with pushing jabs and overhand rights. However, Klitschko remained dangerous by catching most of those shots on the gloves and landed several strong right hands in the second and fourth.

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A dramatic fifth round saw Joshua storm out and hurt Klitschko with a clubbing right hand. He continued the blitzing assault to cut Klitschko over the left eye and score a knockdown. The challenger proved resilient by crashing in multiple left hooks to stun a fatigued Joshua to close the stanza.

It would be the patented Klitschko 1-2 followed by a left hook that produced the most perilous moment of Joshua’s career in round six. He was dropped early in the round and forced to survive off the backfoot as Klitschko pursued with lead hooks. Klitschko built his momentum further by controlling the action with a ramrod jab in rounds 7-8.

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Gradually, Joshua worked his way back into the fight. He outworked Klitshko in rounds 9-10 by focusing his attack on the body. However, Klitschko still was in a position to close the bout, as evidenced by a heavy right hand that punctuated the 10th.

Joshua seized the final advantage in the 11th by exploiting Klitschko’s clinching. He rocked the former champion with a vicious right uppercut that lead to another knockdown. Joshua quickly floored Klitschko again with a right hand for a third knockdown. Klitschko rose again but was trapped in a corner and unable to hold, forcing the referee to call the bout.

Joshua improves to 19-0 and is now the unified IBF and WBA champion. A rematch clause is in place. Should Klitschko not exercise it, Joshua named-checked domestic rival and lineal champion Tyson Fury as a potential opponent.

 

 

 

 

 

[Video] Weigh-In Results: Klitschko 240.5, Joshua 250.1

Posted: April 28, 2017 by Ismael AbduSalaam in Fight News
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LONDON — The weights are official for tomorrow’s big heavyweight showdown between IBF titlist Anthony Joshua and former undisputed champion Wladimir Klitschko. Joshua’s weight of 250 is the highest of his career. Over his previous five fights, the champion has tallied an average of 246. Klitschko’s two years away from the ring has resulted in his lowest weight since 2009. The former champ tipped the scales at a trim 240, five pounds less than in his 2015 title loss to Tyson Fury.

Klitschko vs. Joshua airs live Saturday on Showtime at 4:15 p.m. ET.

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