Tyson Fury accepts Anthony Joshua’s challenge

The 27-year-old added the WBA title to his IBF championship in front of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium by recovering from the first knockdown of his career to stop one of the finest heavyweights in history. Joshua won with an.

Both men looked in danger of being stopped over two rounds which will live long in the memory, before Joshua delivered the clinical blows in the 11th.

Speaking after he was declared victor, an elated Joshua said: ‎”What can I say?”

“It was one of the best heavyweight fights I’ve seen and Klitschko will probably say he wants a rematch”, Hearn said.

They’ll both present tests in their own way, Fury in particular could pose real problems if he’s in shape, but nothing like the test Joshua’s right hand presents.

Klitschko began the fourth full of intent but it was Joshua who started quicker in a thunderous fifth round.

Scores at the time of the stoppage: 96-93, 95-93 Joshua, 95-93 for Klitschko.

Joshua, who had never fought past the seventh round and despite some shaky moments, paid tribute to Klitschko, who got up three times against him.

“Anthony was better today than I”, Klitschko said. It’s really sad that I didn’t make it tonight. I was planning to do it but he did more. “It didn’t work. But all the respect to Anthony, congratulations”.

The fight attracted a gate that had not been matched for a British show since Len Harvey fought Jock McAvoy for the British light-heavyweight title at another London venue, White City, in 1939.

“I have a rematch clause in the contract which I can execute”.

“Tyson Fury, where you’re at, baby?” “Is that the fight you want to see?”

“But, OK, Joshua showed that he can come back, as did Wladimir before”.

Anthony Joshua: “I came from the bottom up to this position where you can I watch”. I don’t box just for the belt, for the money, and I just enjoy it, the discipline.

The possibilities are tantalizing indeed, and so are the prospects for stardom for Joshua.

His knockout power is unquestioned, and after Saturday night so is his heart.

The Londoner’s victory in his 19th professional bout cements his status as the sport’s most exciting prospect, while the bout at Wembley saw the realisation of a prediction by his promoter back in 2014.

Should Fury return to boxing it could be an even bigger fight than Joshua’s epic against Klitschko.

The rookie mistake allowed Klitschko to rally, almost taking the lead as the two 6-foot-6 men went to the 11th round – four rounds longer than any Joshua fight had ever gone.

“It’s too early to tell you the number”, said Hearn, who added that Joshua would not be in the ring again until October at the earliest.

It was filmed at “The Cav” in Central Auckland, New Zealand this morning.

Should the fight get pulled together and organised, it might well be.

The veteran had even looked the more likely victor as he defied a 14-year age gap and was outboxing Joshua in the latter stages until the Briton produced a blistering finish to take his unbeaten record to 19 wins.

“I could have done more to finish him off after he went down, but I was pretty sure “This is going to be my night” so I took my time”. Somehow, though, he managed to find his legs and keep Klitschko away before mounting a counter-attack in the 11th round that won the fight in spectacular fashion.

“The best man won tonight and it’s a massive event for boxing”.