Anthony Joshua knocks out Charles Martin in two rounds to claim IBF heavyweight title
Anthony Joshua needed less than five minutes to become the new IBF heavyweight champion and make a statement of how just how great he can be.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist knocked Charles Martin early in Round 2 with a counter straight right, and then ended matters with the same punch moments later. Martin barely beat referee Jean-Pierre Van Imschoot's count as he wanted to take all the time needed to recover.
But it wasn't enough. Joshua (16-0, 16 KOs) planted him on the canvas for a second time and Martin jumped up as the ref was counting 10. He protested, but it was waved off. Time of the stoppage was 1:32.
While the call by Van Imschoot was questionable, it was purely academic. Martin was never in the fight and was on borrowed time anyway.
The moment seemed to get to Martin, who could go down as the weakest heavyweight champion of all time. He seemed nervous and threw few punches while Joshua applied pressure.
And when Joshua connected with his perfectly timed counter shots, they were damaging. He showed an educated jab and incredible maturity for a 26-year-old with 15 pro fights under his belt.
Now, the budding superstar has a belt around his waist.
"We're a quarter of the way there," Joshua said, referring to the other three belts out there. "I ain't going to get too carried away, still a lot of work to be done.
"David Haye, calling me out, Tyson Fury calling me out, all of them. So I need to improve if I'm going to maintain and keep pushing at a high level."
Fights with either countryman would be absolutely massive events in the U.K. All three men have colorful personalities and pack a big punch. Haye fights Arnold Gjergjaj on May 21 and Fury rematches Wladimir Klitschko on July 9.
(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
If both men come out victorious, big fights loom in the fall. Joshua plans to fight July 9, as well.
"Every heavyweight's got power, but it's just about speed and precision and locking in and staying focused. … The Dillian Whyte fight was for the fans. This was one for myself, I told you I was going to come out and punish him."
"There will probably be some negativity that Martin was easy, but just a few days ago he was this monster who's a southpaw and I've never fought a southpaw."
Martin (23-1-1, 21 KOs) won the title in January when Vyacheslav Glazkov blew out his knee in Round 3. The Southern California won the first two rounds clearly, though.
The 29-year-old was largely untested before winning the title, but Joshua took care of business and looked the part of what many people believe he is: the savior of the heavyweight division.
(Photo by Justin Tallis/Getty Images)