On a cold, wet night at Wembley Stadium, Anthony Joshua turned up the heat in the heavyweight division as he brutally knocked out Alexander Povetkin, and now has his sights set on WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.
"I don't really want to talk any more," Joshua said in his post-fight interview. "There has been too much talking. But if you are asking me who I'd pick for my fight on April 13, my No 1 is [Deontay] Wilder."
The April date Joshua was referring to is the pre-booking of Wembley Stadium – now the scene of two of Joshua's greatest boxing triumphs – against an unnamed opponent for next year, announced well in advance of last night's mandatory defence against the Russian. For some commentators, it was a bold, reckless decision by Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn, looking beyond Povetkin, that seemed to heap extra pressure on the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion.
And after the first two rounds of last night's fight, it certainly looked as though that Wembley booking may have been a little premature because his Russian opponent certainly wasn't keeping to the script. From the first bell, Povetkin's tactics were clear: he was going for broke and went after Joshua's rumoured weak chin with the kind of ferocity you'd expect from a wily and wicked 39-year-old veteran with an impeccable amateur pedigree and only one defeat on his record as a professional. Povetkin knew he couldn't sustain the pace and outbox Joshua over 12 hard rounds... he had to roll the dice.
And Povetkin did what he does best: throwing a long looping right hand from his low crouch, followed by a lighting fast left hook with seriously bad intentions. And Joshua certainly felt those combinations. At the end of the first round, the Englishman walked back to his corner with eyes watering and blood pouring from a suspected broken nose. And it was the same story in the second round.
But the 2018 version of Anthony Joshua is a much improved fighter from the man who was rocked by Dillian Whyte in their British title fight and dropped by Wladimir Kiltschko in their epic world title fight two years ago. He is smarter now, battle hardened, and that so-called suspect chin now seems iron clad. Because although Povetkin was catching the champ with heavy clean shots, Joshua took them and slowly started to find his range.
Over the next four rounds, Joshua began to assert himself and his older, shorter and lighter opponent began to tire. "I knew he was strong to the head," Joshua would say later, "so I started working the body."
As the pace of the fight and the weight of Joshua's punches began to take their toll, Povetkin slowed and then inevitably began trying to protect his mid-section. It was all the invitation Joshua needed.
With his last fight having gone the distance, fight fans were eager for AJ to rediscover his devastating right hand and he duly obliged in the seventh. With Povetkin in the last chance saloon, still looking in hope for one explosive game-changing shot, Joshua delivered a straight right that set the Russian's senses spinning out of control.
The combination that followed was ruthlessly efficient, and almost cruel in its concussive accuracy. Povetkin was bludgeoned to the floor in his own corner as his trainer Ivan Kirpa reached for his fighter's outstretched glove as he grabbed for the ropes to try and get to his feet. It was a very brief yet touching moment in the maelstrom of action, yet this was no place and no time for sentiment.
Povetkin just made it to his feet as the count reached eight and referee Steve Gray looked deep into the stricken fighters eyes for a sign that he should continue. Behind him, in the neutral corner, Joshua was waiting: not in anticipation that the fight be stopped, but in the cold, calculated desire to completely finish the job. AJ may be a nice guy outside of the ring, but inside it he is Thanos, destroyer of worlds. And instead of one infinity gauntlet, he has two.
With Povetkin on unsteady legs, Joshua took his time and finished the job without remorse. As the Russian toppled on to his back, the referee stepped in as Kirpa leapt to the side of the ring to call off the fight.
For much of the day in London the rain had fallen in torrents, but not as heavily as the blows that rained down on the brave but out-gunned Alexander Povetkin. No one had ever knocked the Russian out in his previous 35 contests, and he cut a forlorn figure slumped in his corner, an oxygen mask covering his face.
For his trouble and probably his last chance at boxing glory, Povetkin will take back £6m to Russia. He had earned every penny (and certainly a great deal of respect).
Joshua, fighting in front of 80,000 drenched but delighted souls, made an estimated £20m from his exceptionally good night's work. But there are bigger, better and even more lucrative fights on the horizon.
That April 13 date is now confirmed, all he needs is a dance partner and although Joshua expressed a preference for Deontay Wilder, the American has to take care of one Tyson Fury on December 1st before any further talk of finally unifying the heavyweight division can take place.
But Joshua is patient. He will wait... and his time will surely come. The man who would be king is ready.
