Joshua Flattens Martin in 2nd to Win Heavyweight Title

In the main event of a Showtime Boxing International, Anthony Joshua starched defending IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin in front of a rabid sold-out crowd inside the O2 Arena in London.

Joshua floored his foe with a perfect straight right about a minute into the second, but the champ climbed back to his feet. Though incredibly woozy, Martin was allowed to continue but the fight was over shortly thereafter. Martin (23-1-1, 21 KOs) was dropped again with another right hand, this time for good, ending Martin’s reign as heavyweight champion, which wound up being the second-shortest in history.

For Joshua, the 2012 Olympic gold medalist, he earned the title in fewest amount fights since Michael Bentt conquered Tommy Morrison in his 12th pro fight back in 1993. The win tonight came in Joshua’s 16th pro battle and the sensational knockout continues his perfect streak of stoppages since he put on the gloves as a pro.

“I’m only one-quarter of the way there,” said Joshua immediately following his triumph. “I’m not going to get too carried away because we still have work to do. We have (David) Haye calling me out, Tyson Fury calling me out. I need to keep on pushing if I’m going to maintain at a high level.

“There will probably be some negativity that he was easy, the new champ added. “The fact that he was willing to come to London says a lot about Charles Martin.”

Joshua became only the sixth Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist to win a professional heavyweight title, joining Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin.