Anthony Joshua Retains His Heavyweight Belts with Ninth-Round Knockout of Kubrat Pulev

Anthony Joshua

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Anthony Joshua defeated Kubrat Pulev via knockout to retain his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles. He improved to 24-1 in his career with 22 knockouts.

Joshua was supposed to beat Andy Ruiz Jr. in his US debut at Madison Square Garden in New York but he was dropped four times in a tough TKO loss in the seventh round on June 1, 2019. He recaptured his world titles in the rematch against Ruiz when he coasted to a decision win in Saudi Arabia on December 7, 2019.

The fight with Pulev was Joshua’s first in the COVID-19 pandemic and his first title defense during his current WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight championship reign.

 

Born: October 15th, 1989

Age: 31

Country: United Kingdom

Division: Heavyweight

Stance: Orthodox

Height: 6’6″

Reach: 82″

Bouts: 25

Rounds: 112

Record: 24-1 (22 KOs)

91.6 KO percentage

 

Joshua prevailed against Pulev after flooring him three times and knocking him out in the ninth round to edge closer to a fight with WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury to crown the division’s No 1.

Tyson Fury’s promoter Bob Arum called the potential dream fight against Anthony Joshua the “biggest since Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier in 1971.”

Fury had this to say about Anthony Joshua’s victory on Saturday: “I want the fight. I want the fight next. I will knock him out inside three rounds!”

Tyson Fury also criticized Joshua’s post-fight interview on social media, saying: “He got asked if he wants the fight and he went around the bushes.”

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