Anthony Joshua had to show incredible heart to get up off the canvas after being hit clean by a massive puncher.
In his astonishing career, ‘AJ’ has showcased his dynamite hands on a plethora of occasions, knocking out a number of top-name opponents.
However, while he’s often the hammer, on occasion, he’s had to be the nail. Of course, his recent defeat to Daniel Dubois springs to mind. In addition, Joshua was dropped heavily several times by Andy Ruiz.
But the very first time he hit the floor came against a fighter who’s considered one of the best heavyweights of all time.
WOW: ‘He gave me a beating’… Tyson Fury was beaten by Anthony Joshua in spar
Wladimir Klitschko dropped Anthony Joshua with a massive shot
On 29 April, 2017, Anthony Joshua went head-to-head with Wladimir Klitschko, in a battle for the ages in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in London, UK.
The fight was an intriguing one, with many wondering whether ‘AJ’ was talented enough to overcome a competitor, who, while was coming off a loss to Tyson Fury, was still very much a dangerous operator.
In the fifth round, the Englishman proved he was very much the real deal, landing a flurry of punches to send his rival to the canvas.
However, utilizing all his experience, Klitschko, bit down on his gumshield and completely changed the trajectory of the fight, landing a series of heavy blows that almost finished his opponent.
The Ukrainian continued to ride the wave of momentum into the sixth, landing a straight right hand that sent Joshua crashing toward the floor.
While he’d previously been wobbled by Dillian Whyte, the Brit had never been in a crisis like this. But in a testament to his iron will, he simply refused to let his adoring fans down.
Slowly but surely, he battled his way back into the contest, landing an iconic uppercut in the eleventh that looked as if it was about to send Klitschko’s head into orbit.
Smelling blood in the water, Joshua pounced, dropping his adversary for the second time. Realizing the end was nigh, the powerhouse jumped on his 41-year-old opponent, connecting with a series of shots to score a third knockdown.
Determined to bag the biggest win of his career, the younger man bullied his opponent into the ropes and started firing shots, prompting the referee to jump in.
Tyson Fury went down for the first time against an unbeaten star who hit him with a massive right hand
Like Joshua, Fury has also faced his fair share of adversity inside the ring.
In total, ‘The Gypsy King’ has hit the canvas on eight occasions, getting up each time, with only Oleksandr Usyk managing to score a win over him.
Of course, fans remember the nights Deontay Wilder nearly knocked him out. Furthermore, the time Francis Ngannou dropped him is still something boxing enthusiasts struggle to wrap their heads around.
However, long before then, Fury was dropped heavily by an unbeaten monster.