Olympic champion Anthony Joshua defeated former kick-boxer Dillian Whyte to take the British heavyweight title on Saturday with a bruising seventh-round knockout and edge closer to a possible shot at the world crown.
The 26-year-old took his record to 15 knockouts from 15 fights since turning pro after winning 2012 Olympic gold in London.
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Joshua’s latest win raises the prospect of a clash with WBO and WBA heavyweight champion Tyson Fury if his fellow British fighter beats Wladimir Klitschko in their world title rematch.
“Yes I enjoyed it, more because it was about bragging rights,” said Joshua who had lost to Whyte in 2009 during their amateur careers.
“There had been a lot of talking, all the way back since 2009. We’d been patiently waiting for this moment and I enjoy being victorious and showing that talk is cheap, you have to back it up when you’re in the ring.
“He was tough, there were times when I hurt him in the first round and he hurt me in the second. It was a matter of who had that little more grit, determination and skill.”
15/15/15 Heart Of A Lion #AJBoxing pic.twitter.com/d1D7p891s0
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyfjoshua) December 13, 2015
Saturday’s fight was the first time Joshua had been taken beyond three rounds in his professional career.
“I took myself past three rounds and felt that I carried the right engine through the fight,” he added.
“Even when I had been loading up and doing silly things, I still had enough power to knock him out in the seventh.”