Anthony Joshua was taken the distance for the first time in his professional career before winning a unanimous points decision in his world heavyweight title unification fight with Joseph Parker in Cardiff this morning (AEST).
After 12 rounds, Britain?s Joshua triumphed 118-110, 118-110, 119-109 on the three judges? scorecards.
Victory extended London 2012 Olympic champion Joshua?s perfect pro record to 21 wins from as many bouts but was the first he?d failed to do so by a knockout.
It also saw International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Association champion Joshua add Parker?s World Boxing Organisation belt to his collection.
This result was Parker?s first defeat in his 25-fight pro career. This morning?s contest in front of a 78,000 capacity crowd at the Principality Stadium was the first time two previously undefeated heavyweight champions had met for a world title in Britain.
Joshua?s win should move him closer to a bout against Deontay Wilder, the American who holds the World Boxing Council?s version of the heavyweight title.
There were few clean punches in a tense opening stanza as both boxers felt each other out, an energetic Parker however unable to stop Joshua dominating the middle of the ring.
A cut above Parker?s left eye was evident from the third round on as he was again forced to expend energy trying to move a steadfast Joshua around. He managed a few good punches in the fifth before unleashing a torrent following a Joshua uppercut not dissimilar to the one which ended Wladimir Klitschko?s career at Wembley Stadium last year.
It was a different Parker throughout the middle rounds but by the time the cut above his eye worsened in the 10th both the raucous crowd and Joshua could smell blood.
There was controversy earlier when Parker had his hand wraps questioned. David Higgins of Duco Events told media during the penultimate undercard fight that the wraps were queried by an official at the behest of Joshua?s camp. British Boxing Board of Control head Robert Smith sided with Team Parker and the wraps remained unchanged.
Povetkin next in line
Alexander Povetkin of Russia became the mandatory challenger for Joshua?s WBA heavyweight belt after brutally knocking out David Price in the fifth round of an action-packed fight.
Povetkin had already floored Price with a big left hook in the third round when he sent the British boxer to the canvas with another powerful left that drew gasps from the crowd.
Price was a sitting target after being hit with a right jab from Povetkin, who becomes the WBA intercontinental champion. Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic champion, was WBA champion from 2011-13.
Price started his pro career with 15 straight wins but has now lost five times, four of the defeats coming against boxers who had served ? or would go on to serve ? doping bans.
The 38-year-old Povetkin twice tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in a seven-month period in 2016. Either side of that, he has won eight straight fights, leaving the loss on points to Wladimir Klitschko in 2013 as his only defeat in 35 bouts.
Burnett defeats Parejo
WBA bantamweight champion Ryan Burnett overcame a suspected broken right hand to beat mandatory challenger Yonfrez Parejo via a unanimous points decision in the first defence of his belt.
Burnett, who stayed undefeated after 19 fights, threw punches almost solely with his left hand in the second half of the fight. He said afterwards he thought he broke his right hand in the third round.
The Northern Irishman still won easily with all three judges. Parejo, of Venezuela, previously won four straight fights after losing the interim WBA title.
#AndStill 👑 Successful first defence for @ryanburnett01?s WBA Super World Bantamweight Title winning on points 120-108, 120-108, 116-112 #BurnettParejo #JoshuaParker pic.twitter.com/HeWeXHCDuY ? Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 31, 2018
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Title in sight for Crolla
British lightweight Anthony Crolla could be in sight of another world title fight, but he made heavy work of his unanimous points win over unheralded Mexican Edson Ramirez in one of the big three bouts on the undercard. Crolla fought with a cut near his right eye from the third round and blood covered his face for large parts of an uneventful fight.
A former WBA champion, Crolla could yet get another shot at that belt ? maybe against fellow Brit Luke Campbell ? as it could soon become vacant. Jorge Linares, who beat Crolla in back-to-back fights in Manchester, owns the strap and is soon fighting Vasyl Lomachenko. Linares, a 32-year-old Venezuelan, is coming toward the end of his career.
Scorecards: 100-91, 100-90, 98-92 to the winner… @ant_crolla #CrollaRamirez #JoshuaParker pic.twitter.com/6oPRVL72Ga ? Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 31, 2018
