We have a little something planned for July 9, maybe at the national stadium, Wembley.
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Joshua, 26, produced a measured display in front of a packed crowd in his home arena and is now a major player on the world stage. He’s coming along well but this fight was just a good opportunity to grab a belt.
Joshua won the super-heavyweight gold at the London Olympics in 2012, and becomes only the third man in history to hold a professional heavyweight title at the same time as being a reigning Olympic champion – joining the legendary Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks.
“You get better and get better as you go and I know he ain’t as calm and collected as me”.
Joshua said he “knew 100 per cent” the fight was over after the first knockdown.
Things quickly got worse for Martin in the second round.
In a post-fight interview with BoxingScene.com, Martin complained about the stoppage. Every fight gets better and better and better.
“July, it was always going to be the ninth”, said Eddie Hearn, when asked of his plans for Joshua’s first title defence.
Fury is due to defend his WBO and WBA titles in a rematch against Wladimir Klitschko, who he dethroned last November, in Manchester on July 9.
Martin clambered to his feet, only to be floored again by that ferocious right, and his defiant smile could not disguise his unsteady legs and the referee signaled the start of Joshua’s reign as champion. I need to keep on pushing if I’m going to maintain at a high level. “I am not going to get too carried away because there is a lot of work to be done”.
“David Haye, calling me out, Tyson Fury calling me out, all of them”.
Immediately after the fight, Fury, who says he bet £1,000 on Joshua losing against Martin, tweeted: “So AJ gets a belt, but he looked slow and ponderous, and still looked like a bodybuilder”.
Haye was “proud” to see Olympic champion Joshua win a world title.
“I am a very humble person and yet I truly believe I will become the undisputed world heavyweight champion in due course”, he said.
A cagey opening minute was followed by Joshua landing with rights to the body, and while Martin remained composed, his opponent grew in confidence and pursued him with greater intent from the second.
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The pressure will intensify on his promoters Matchroom, however, to deliver opponents worthy of challenging for a world title while not overlooking the patience he requires to progress.
