ANTHONY JOSHUA vs WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

April 29th 2017

From bad left hook.

*****

ROUND BY ROUND

ANTHONY JOSHUA vs WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

Round 1: Klitschko comes out pressing Joshua. Joshua lands a jab. Joshua lands a grazing left hook as Klitschko tries to measure distance with his jab. Joshua misses on two punches as Klitschko skates away. Klitschko tries a land which falls short, then tries a lead hook after feigning the jab. Joshua throws two hooks with the right hand partially landing. Now Joshua backs up Klitschko as he picks up his aggression. Joshua lands a right hook to the body. Klitschko still pawing with the jab trying to find the range, then lands one. Klitschko lands another jab but it’s not enough.Joshua 10-9.

Round 2: Klitschko comes out and lands a good straight right after a jab. Joshua lands a jab back seconds later. Klitschko continues to feint and try to find openings to land something significant. Klitschko still pressing Joshua behind his extended lead hand. Joshua comes forward with two jabs, then a right hand. Joshua is outworking Klitschko early. Joshua falls short on a three punch combination. Joshua and Klitschko trade a number of jabs with one another at center ring. I slightly favor Joshua’s work in this round. Joshua 10-9, 20-18.

Round 3: Klitschko lands a grazing right hand out the gates. Joshua lunges forward with three big punches that miss. Joshua tries another powerful one-two combination that doesn’t land. Joshua lands a right uppercut which looks like it gets Klitschko’s attention. Klitschko lands a jab but he’s still not getting off enough for my taste. Joshua throws a right hand that lands on Klitschko’s shoulder. Klitschko tries a lead left hook that gets caught on Joshua’s guard. Joshua lands a nice jab. Klitschko is going to have to pick up the pace quickly, he still seems to have trouble pulling the trigger. Joshua 10-9.

Round 4: Klitschko lands two hard right hands at the opening bell, his best of the fight. Joshua tries three punches with the land right hand landing. Klitschko pushes Joshua back as he tries to press him towards the ropes. Joshua gets warned for punching on the break. Joshua tries a jab followed by a right hook to the body that lands. Joshua then lands a counter right hook on Klitschko. Joshua lands a hard jab on Klitschko. This is a competitive fight but Joshua is taking the rounds on activity, outworking Klitschko. Joshua 10-9, 40-36.

Round 5: Joshua comes out fast trying to knock Klitschko out with a flurry! Joshua lans hard punches and Klitschko hits the deck! Klitschko beats the count but he has damage to his left eye. Joshua is getting increasingly aggressive, trying to put Klitschko away. Klitschko was obviously surprised by the Joshua onslaught. Klitschko fighting back hard, trying to get Joshua off of him. Klitschko comes back at Joshua, Joshua lands a clean left hook, Klitschko returns the favor! MY OH MY! This might be contender for round of the year! I think Klitschko fought his way back to a 10-9 round. Joshua 10-9.

Round 6: Joshua looks a little tired after all the energy he expended in the last round. KLITSCHKO LANDS A MONSTER RIGHT HAND THAT DROPS JOSHUA! Joshua beats the 10-count and ladies and gentlemen, we have us a fight! Klitschko trying to follow up the damage by throwing a few more hard punches. Klitschko lands a left hook, a right hand. Joshua looks like the fatigue is setting in and Klitschko looks to have more in the tank at this point. Best heavyweight fight i’ve seen in a long time. Klitschko 10-8, 55-58.

Round 7: Klitschko comes out with some pep in his step, looking to land another right hand. Klitschko misses on the right hand he was looking for. Klitschko jabs Joshua to the ropes and tries another right. Klitschko tries three left hooks in a row. Klitschko grazes Joshua with a left hook. Klitschko is still bouncing around, and the pace is favoring him now, Joshua might’ve spent all his money in the 5th. Now Joshua comes forward with a couple punches, but Klitschko continues to press forward himself. Klitschko 10-9.

Round 8: Joshua’s corner is really concerned between rounds, telling Joshua not to throw this fight away. The bell rings and Joshua is breathing heavy. Joshua tries to trade jabs with Klitschko again. Joshua hits Klitschko again on a break and the referee talks to Joshua about it. Klitschko comes forward with three jabs that land on Joshua, then a fourth. Klitschko lands yet another jab, then a good right hand behind it. Joshua’s left eye is swelling up noticeably now. More jabs land over and over for Klitschko. Klitschko 10-9, 75-76.

Round 9: Joshua’s corner continue to urge their fighter to find his second wind. Joshua tries a body attack early once Klitschko got him in a clinch, and to be honest, there hasn’t been much clinching at all in this fight. Klitschko tries a hard right hand that Joshua ducks, but stands back up into the path of Klitschko’s jab that lands clean. Joshua leaps forward with a left hook that misses. Klitschko moving around the ring really, really well for his age and size.Joshua lands a right hand, then a left hook to the body. Joshua lands a right cross, then a couple of body punches. Joshua gets things back under control this round. Joshua 10-9.

Round 10: Joshua comes out at the bell with two big punches that miss. Klitschko lands a sharp jab, the evades the counter. Joshua tries a counter right that Klitschko catches on his lead shoulder. Joshua comes forward again with two punches. Klitschko pushes him back with a jab, but Joshua tries to go back downstairs with a right to the body. The referee once again warns Joshua for hitting on the break. More clinching as both fighters fatigue. Klitschko needs to dig deep now if he really wants take this fight late. Hard right hand lands for Klitschko that snaps Joshua’s head back. Close round but that last right hand by Klitschko wins it for me. Klitschko 10-9, 94-95.

Round 11: Joshua comes out with a monster right hand that stuns Klitschko. Klitscho holds on momentarily to regain his bearings. Klitschko dodges Joshua’s next big right hand. Now Klitschko comes in with a right hook. Uppercut rocks Klitschko who is badly hurt, a follow up by Joshua puts Klitschko down! Klitschko is hurting from that clean right uppercut but makes it back to his feet. Klitschko gets pounded by Joshua’s as he goes right back on the attack and Klitschko goes right back down! Klitschko gets up again with one minute left in the round. Joshua tries to close the show by throwing nothing but bombs. Joshua attacks Klitschko in the corner and the referee steps in to call off the fight. Joshua TKO-11. Amazing fight!

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