Joshua-Klitschko Heavyweight Title Fight Draws 90,000 To Wembley

Boxer Anthony Joshua yesterday won the WBA world heavyweight title with an "enthralling knockout win over Wladimir Klitschko" at Wembley Stadium in front of a "post-war record 90,000 fans." The fight was an "epic, living up to the hype, heavyweight boxing at its most captivating" (BBC.com, 4/29). Joshua won by knockout in the 11th round of the "epic slugfest." The bout "lived up to the massive hype that made it the biggest heavyweight fight since Lennox Lewis knocked out Mike Tyson to retain the world title" in '02 (ESPN.com, 4/29). The scene at the fight was "insane," and it was "arguably the most compelling heavyweight title fight since Evander Holyfield upset Tyson" in '96 in Las Vegas (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/29).

The bout "feels like a perfect storm of sorts" that "just might be what the heavyweight division has desperately needed for years" (CBSSPORTS.com, 4/30). Promoter Eddie Hearn has plans for Joshua to "light up new venues in China, the Middle East and Africa" (REUTERS, 4/30).