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Agence France-Presse

Anthony Joshua cruised to a seventh round victory over Dominic Breazeale in a first world title defence on Saturday night.
The 26-year-old Briton floored his American challenger twice in the seventh round as he retained his International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight title and extended his remarkable run of knockouts at the O2 Arena in London.
Joshua, who has stopped all 17 professional opponents since winning an Olympic gold medal at London 2012, inflicted Breazeale’s first professional defeat in his 18th bout after controlling the fight from start to finish.
“When I started catching him flush you know it’s beginning to work,” said Joshua.
“He was patient, avoiding my punches, and I had to take my time. Now I need a rest, it’s hard work doing this.”
After setting a steady pace, Joshua exploded into action in the seventh round and Breazeale could not resist two vicious combinations.

               Ruthless Anthony Joshua claims IBF world heavyweight crown against poor Martin
            
Joshua is expected to make a mandatory defence against New Zealand’s Joseph Parker by the end of the year or spring 2017.
Clashes against rival world champions, or fellow Briton David Haye, are likely to be next year at the earliest for Joshua, who increasingly is looking the man to beat in the heavyweight division.
Joshua’s fellow Briton Tyson Fury will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) belts against former lineal champion Wladimir Klitschko later in the year now after spraining an ankle, while Deontay Wilder defends his World Boxing Council (WBC) title against fellow American Chris Arreola on July 16.
Breazeale arrived with an impressive 17-fight unbeaten record, with 15 wins by stoppage, and at 6-foot-7-inches was an inch taller than the champion.

               Boxing at the Bird’s Nest? British champ Anthony Joshua plans future fight in Chinese capital
            
But Breazeale could not halt the rapid momentum of Joshua’s run in the professional ranks, which saw him win the IBF title with a two-round victory over American Charles Martin in April.
Former NFL quarterback Breazeale, from Los Angeles, lost his opening bout at the 2012 Olympics in London in the same weight category that Joshua won gold in.
It turned out to be another unsuccessful trip to London for Breazeale. 
Joshua began positively and landed a decent three-punch combination late in the first, but Breazeale also slipped away from some of his jabs.
Breazeale, 30, was under more pressure at the start of the second when Joshua landed a flurry of power punches.
Joshua got back behind his jab and was working patiently until a combination left Breazeale staggering back on spaghetti legs.
Breazeale survived that crisis but in the third round his right eye was almost swollen shut but he bravely battled on to become just the second professional opponent to take Joshua past three rounds.
Joshua was content to take his time by boxing at a steady pace, wobbling Breazeale with a right in the sixth when the American gamely returned fire and bloodied the Briton’s nose.
It was all over in the seventh when Breazeale was floored twice by combinations. He bravely got up after being decked by a left and a right but after a blizzard of blows was returned to the canvas and the fight waved off.
George Groves won a WBA super-middleweight title eliminator against fellow Briton Martin Murray on the undercard. Groves, a loser in three world title fights, earned scores of 118-110 on all three scorecards after wobbling Murray in rounds eight, nine and 12.


Imperious Anthony Joshua retains his IBF world title strap with dominant defeat of Dominic Breazeale

Anthony Joshua was never troubled in his world title defence against Dominic Breazeale. Photo: Reuters

epa05391399 Anthony Joshua of Britain (R) raises a gloved hand after knocking down Dominic Breazeale of the USA during their IBF World Heavyweight Championship fight at the 02 Arena in London, Britain, 25 June 2016. EPA/SEAN DEMPSEY

epa05391402 Anthony Joshua of Britain (C) throws a punch at Dominic Breazeale of the USA (L) during their IBF World Heavyweight Championship fight at the 02 Arena in London, Britain, 25 June 2016. EPA/SEAN DEMPSEY

U.S. boxer Dominic Breazeale acknowledges the crowd after being defeated in his IBF heavyweight title bout against British boxer Anthony Joshua at the O2 Arena in London, Saturday, June 25, 2016. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

epa05391390 Anthony Joshua of Britain (R) throws a punch at Dominic Breazeale (L) during their IBF World Heavyweight Championship fight at the 02 Arena in London, Britain, 25 June 2016. EPA/SEAN DEMPSEY

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury labels challenger Wladimir Klitschko a boring, no-risk fighter

British heavyweight champions Tyson Fury continues to goad his Ukrainian opponent ahead of their world title rematch in July. Photo: AFP

Britain's heavyweight world boxing champion Tyson Fury and challenger Wladimir Klitschko of Ukraine, from right, react during a press conference in Cologne, Germany, Thursday, April 28, 2016. Fury is scheduled for a rematch against Wladimir Klitschko on Saturday July 9 at the Manchester Arena in Britain. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

I hate boxing: ‘performing monkey’ Tyson Fury in foul-mouthed rant ahead of rematch with Wladimir Klitschko 

Tyson Fury grins during a press conference to publicise his forthcoming world heavyweight title fight against Wladimir Klitschko. Photo: AFP

Ukranian heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko attends a press conference to publicise his forthcoming world heavyweight title fight against British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury, at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, north-west England on April 27, 2016. Wladimir Klitschko has insisted he was "glad" to have lost his world heavyweight titles to Tyson Fury in December 2015, ahead of a re-match with the British boxer on July 9, 2016. With Klitschko's loss to Fury, the belts are now spread far and wide, with Fury holding the WBA and WBO titles, fellow Briton Anthony Joshua the IBF champion, and Deontay Wilder of the United States, the World Boxing Council's heavyweight title. / AFP PHOTO / OLI SCARFF

British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury (L) poses alongside Ukrainian heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko, during a press conference to publicise their forthcoming world heavyweight title fight, at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, north-west England on April 27, 2016. Wladimir Klitschko has insisted he was "glad" to have lost his world heavyweight titles to Tyson Fury in December 2015, ahead of a re-match with the British boxer on July 9, 2016. With Klitschko's loss to Fury, the belts are now spread far and wide, with Fury holding the WBA and WBO titles, fellow Briton Anthony Joshua the IBF champion, and Deontay Wilder of the United States, the World Boxing Council's heavyweight title. / AFP PHOTO / OLI SCARFF

British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury reacts during a press conference to publicise his forthcoming world heavyweight title fight against Ukranian heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko, at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, north-west England on April 27, 2016. Wladimir Klitschko has insisted he was "glad" to have lost his world heavyweight titles to Tyson Fury in December 2015, ahead of a re-match with the British boxer on July 9, 2016. With Klitschko's loss to Fury, the belts are now spread far and wide, with Fury holding the WBA and WBO titles, fellow Briton Anthony Joshua the IBF champion, and Deontay Wilder of the United States, the World Boxing Council's heavyweight title. / AFP PHOTO / OLI SCARFF

You should work as a clown in a circus, Wladimir Klitschko tells 'Batman' Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury is dressed as the Caped Crusader. Photo: EPA

British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury (front) is dressed as batman as he wrestles on the floor with a man dressed as The Joker during a stunt at a press conference in London. Photo: EPA

Tyson Fury "Batman" wrestles with The joker at a press conference. Ukrainian WBA, WBO, IBO and IBF heavyweight boxing world champion Wladimir Klitschko will be challenged by Fury for the world heavyweight crown in Duesseldorf, Germany next month. Photo: EPA

Sport

Boxing

British heavyweight cruises to a seventh round victory over American in a first world title defence


Imperious Anthony Joshua retains his IBF world title strap with dominant defeat of Dominic Breazeale

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}British heavyweight cruises to a seventh round victory over American in a first world title defence

British heavyweight cruises to a seventh round victory over American in a first world title defence