Anthony Joshua became Britain’s second reigning world heavyweight champion when he knocked out Charles Martin in the second round at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
Joshua, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, captured his first world title in only his 16th professional fight by flattening American Martin to lift the IBF belt.
Martin, who was making a first defense, was floored twice in the second round by right hands and failed to beat the count the second time.
Photo: EPA
Joshua, who turned professional in October 2013, is the fifth-quickest heavyweight to win a version of the world title and is Britain’s second reigning world heavyweight champion along with Tyson Fury, who holds the WBA and WBO belts.
A future clash between Joshua, 26, and Fury is to become a possibility if Fury can beat Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in a rematch on July 9.
Joshua’s title triumph improved his record to 16 wins from as many fights, while Martin suffered his first defeat in 25 fights, with one draw.
Joshua’s muscular frame looks like it has been cut from stone and his power was too much for Martin. All 16 of the Briton’s opponents in the paid ranks have been stopped and only one has survived past the third round.
Joshua hardly broke sweat in sweeping aside Martin, but insisted after he still needed to improve.
“I’m not getting carried away because [I] still got a lot of work to do,” the new champion said. “I’ve got David Haye and Tyson Fury calling me out. Trust me, when they step in the ring with me I will be ready.”
Joshua might not be quick on feet, but the 1.98m-tall boxer does not have any problems in quickly hunting down opponents.
Martin sprang from obscurity to be IBF champion in January when he won the vacant belt after Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov injured a knee in the third round. The belt only became available because Fury was stripped of it for agreeing to face Klitschko in a rematch.
Both made a cautious start with Joshua landing the best punch in the opening round when he broke through Martin’s guard with a right.
Martin, 29, was put on the back foot in the second round and was sent crashing backward to the canvas when he was caught flush on the chin by a right.
When Martin got up after a count, Joshua immediately planted another flush on the jaw to send him back to the canvas.
Martin complained when the fight was waved off after the American failed to beat referee Jeane Pierre Van Imschoot’s second count.
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