Anthony Joshua defeats Alexander Povetkin in the seventh round
Anthony Joshua (22-0) delivered a stunning seventh round finish to halt Alexander Povetkin (34-2) and retain his world heavyweight titles at Wembley Stadium.
The IBF, WBO and WBA champion started slowly against the game Russian but finished emphatically with a seventh-round stoppage of the fellow Olympic gold medallist, who hadn't been beaten inside the distance.
After an early chess match in which Joshua suffered a bloodied nose before exacting revenge to cut his ting rival, the Briton grew in confidence and a savage right hand followed by a left hook began an onslaught that would kill off the fight in dramatic fashion. Another right-left combination downed Povetkin, who somehow made the count, only to stagger into a left hook which saw him slump into the ropes, leaving referee Steve Gray with no option but to intervene.
His display showcased poise and patience, intellect and power, as well as vulnerability as he lost the first couple of rounds. AJ remains unbeaten, but has showed slight flaws in his last three fights against the mobile Joseph Parker; the durable Carlos Takam, and the legend Wladimir Klitschko who is the only person to inflict a knockdown on the Watford man. His next fight is scheduled for April 13 back at Wembley Stadium. Heavyweight rivals Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury both meet on December 1.