Last Saturday’s heavyweight title bout lived up to all the hype, as Anthony Joshua finished former champion Wladimir Klitschko in the 11th round in front a boisterous 90 thousand fans in Wembley Arena.

The fight was very competitive until the end, as Klitschko was down in the 5th round, only to bounce back and knock Joshua down in the 6th round. In spite of the win, Joshua appeared to have stamina issues, considering it took him over two rounds to actually recover and start putting his offence together again.

Both men showed big heart, as they both came back strong from adversity but Joshua’s juggernaut assault was too much for the aged Klitschko in the end.

What’s next for Klitschko?

Many wondered whether Wladimir would still have the hunger to compete at the advanced age of 41, and I think this fight proved that he still had the drive. However, there’s not much more for Wlad to prove at this point in time.

He had an almost decade long reign as heavyweight champ and saw lots of success from it. Seems like the perfect time to hang up the gloves, and be thankful to have not taken serious punishment in his career. Since the fight was so close, maybe a rematch would be in demand, but I’d personally rather see Wlad retire with his health intact.

What’s next for Joshua?

Even though this was the third defense of his IBF title, this fight no doubt solidified Joshua as the legitimate heavyweight champion in the world. The next logical step is a fight with undefeated Deontay Wilder, who also holds a world heavyweight title. Both men are huge heavyweights with big time power, so this would be absolute firecracker of a fight. This is the fight to be made IMO, but other options for Joshua would be of course a Klitschko rematch, Luis Ortiz, Alexander Povetkin, or possibly Tyson Fury if he can ever get his act together.

This is an exciting time for the heavyweight division. The pool of talent is not super deep, but all of the top guys are big punchers who usually make for good fights. I can’t wait to see which title fights will be made next, but I’m hoping for Joshua vs Wilder sooner rather than later.

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Sources:
https://www.clip68.net/watch/ubz7rNylreo/wladimir-klitschko-vs-anthony-joshua-fight-highlights-apiv3.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/anthony-joshua-wladimir-klitschko-scorecard-10325346
http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/live-blog-anthony-joshua-vs-wladimir-klitschko/
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2017/4/29/15486420/anthony-joshua-vs-wladimir-klitschko-post-fight-results-analysis