World Boxing News rates the top five victories of British heavyweight Anthony Joshua following two straight wins.
Joshua, a two-time champion in the top division, potentially saved his world title career by stopping Robert Helenius.
However, the triumph was a drab affair, and Helenius boxed the nose off Joshua before being knocked out due to a lack of training.
The Helenius and previously W against Jermaine Franklin fail to make the list. All the wins on the list come before his 2019 loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
WBN has decided to rate the 2012 Olympic gold medalist’s best notches as a fight with Deontay Wilder continues to elude the boxing public.
Since turning pro in 2013 under Eddie Hearn, Joshua has fought 29 times. As we all know, he won all 22 until Ruiz in New York.
Winning the rematch six months later against a hugely out-of-shape Ruiz. Joshua has since won three and lost two.
With some debate over the quality of the opponent’s face, WBN is basing the rankings solely on the manner of performance.
The Top Five Wins of Anthony Joshua
5 WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO
Holding the Klitschko win in fifth place would be too low down the list for many. The truth is, Klitschko was a defeated and inactive ex-champion heading into the fight.
Despite this, Joshua struggled badly at points in the fight and was close to being stopped in the sixth. Rallying, Joshua got the late win against a faded Klitschko who left everything in the ring when losing to Tyson Fury eighteen months earlier. RATING 6/10.
4 CARLOS TAKAM
A late replacement for Kubrat Pulev, Takam was a dangerous and hungry fighter heading into the clash. Joshua used his strengths to get the job done in the tenth. 6/10.
3 JOSEPH PARKER
Joshua had stopped every opponent until March 2018 and was heavily backed to do the same to Parker. Showing the New Zealander far too much respect, Joshua was taken the distance.
Being at home meant Joshua was always a winner on points. 7/10.
2 DILLIAN WHYTE
The pair were just ahead of the domestic level when they surprisingly decided to fight each other. At the time, Whyte was fighting for relevance.
Shrewdly, Hearn knew putting Whyte in with Joshua so early would give him Pay-Per-View options further down the line. This turned out to be the case.
Whyte initially wobbled Joshua before succumbing to the raw power. ‘The Bodysnatcher’ had pegged the first hole in what was made out to be an impenetrable defense held by his rival. 7/10.
Joshua vs Povetkin
1 ALEXANDER POVETKIN
Povetkin, although another ex-star who was already past his best, was a live challenger and dangerous opponent to some. In the end, Povetkin was beaten by sheer brute strength and size.
Like his Klitschko chances before that night at Wembley, Povetkin was a couple of years past being able to compete fully with his opponent. 7/10.
