Joshua laid Pulev in the 9th round in London on Saturday.
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ANDREW COULDRIDGE / POOL / AFP
On Saturday in London, British boxer Anthony Joshua beat Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev by knockout on the ninth round and thus retains his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO heavyweight world champion's belts.
Taller and with greater draw, and eight years younger than his opponent, Joshua dominated the bout from start to finish, much to the delight of the 1,000 spectators who had been admitted to the SSE Arena near Wembley, and which can usually accommodate 12,500 people.
This success also paves the way for a title reunification fight with the other British heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, who holds the WBC belt.
“I want the belt,” Joshua said out of the ring.
If it's Tyson Fury, so be it!
We salivate in advance.
The fatal right in the 9th round
After a timid first round, Joshua placed a first acceleration on the third round in which his opponent was counted twice, once on the ropes and again after going down.
The tough 39-year-old Bulgarian hung on and tried hard to place his powerful right, but he rarely touched Joshua, who regained the initiative in the 9th round of 12.
He sent his opponent to the ground after a series of punches and when the referee sent Pulev back into the fight, "AJ" placed a right chin on his chin which immediately lengthened him for good.
Joshua, 31, has a record of 24 wins, including 22 before the limit, for just one loss.
Pulev, nicknamed "the Cobra", suffered the second defeat of his career, for 28 victories.
His first loss was against Vladimir Klitschko, in his first and only world chance, until this Saturday, six years ago.
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