By: Ken Hissner
IBF & WBA champion “A.J.” Anthony Joshua, of the UK retained his titles with a stoppage of Carlos Takam, at the Principality Stadium before an indoor record crowd of 78,000 fans, in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, over Showtime.
Photo Credit: Sky Sports
2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, IBF & WBA heavyweight champion “A.J.” Anthony Joshua, 20-0 (20), of the UK, made his fourth defense halting No. 3 IBF contender, Carlos Takam, 35-4-1 (27), of Cameroon living in France, at 1:35 of the tenth round.
In the opening round Joshua stalked Takam using his jab as Takam kept moving his body to avoid being a stationery target. In the second round Takam led with his head banging into the nose of Joshua causing blood. Joshua went right after Takam in anger. With a minute left in the round Joshua landed his first combination to the head of Takam. All of Takam’s punches fell short or were blocked by Joshua. In the third round Joshua landed a lead right to the head of Takam. Halfway through the round Takam landed a stiff jab to the chin of Joshua. With a minute left in the round Takam landed a left hook to the head of Joshua. Joshua landed a short right uppercut to the chin of Takam with seconds to go in the round.
In the fourth round Joshua landed a lead right to the head of Takam. Takam came back with an overhand right to the chin of Joshua. With just over a minute left in the round a right uppercut caused a cut over the right eye of Takam as he was ducking. Takam landed a left hook to the chin of Joshua but was countered by a Joshua left hook that caused Takam’s left glove to touch the canvas. Referee Phill Edwards gave him an 8-count. In the fifth round Joshua opened up with a volume of punches. The referee asked the ring physician to take a look at the cut of Takam. The end of a 3-punch combination by Takam having the first two blocked laned an overhand right by Takam landed on the head of Joshua with a minute left in the round. With half a minute left in the round Takam rushed in landing several punches to the head of Joshua. In the sixth round at the halfway point Takam got inside landing a combination to the body of Joshua. With a minute left in the round Joshua landed a right-left combination to the head of Takam. Joshua landed a four punch combination just prior to the bell.
In the seventh round Joshua landed his jab well but just under the halfway mark Takam landed several right hands to the chin of Joshua. With under a minute left in the round Takam landed a 3-punch combination to the head and body of Joshua. Joshua landed a lead right followed by a right uppercut to the head of Takam just prior to the bell. In the eighth round Joshua controlled with his jab and an occassional right cross. Takam countered a Joshua right to the chin with his own right to the chin. Prior to the start of the ninth round the ring physician held up the start checking the cut of Takam’s. At the halfway mark Joshua landed a combination to the head of Takam. With a minute left in the round Takam started landing several combinations of his own. With half a minute left in the round Joshua took a back step for the first time in the fight.
In the tenth round Joshua and Takam were mixing it up with Joshua landing four punches when the referee stepped in and stopped the fight against the wishes of Takam.
“I want the next fight for a belt and Wilder here in the UK would be welcome. I can’t judge the officials with the stoppage,” said Joshua. His promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed a Joshua-Wilder fight must be made. It was not an impressive win for Joshua who seemed content to take the fight into his predicted tenth round.
In a week WBC champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder, 38-0 (37), defends his title against the man he won it from back in January of 2015 Haitian Bermane Stiverne, 25-2-1 (21), living in Las Vegas and the No. 1 contender for Wilder’s title. It will be two years since the only fight Stiverne had since losing the title a win over Derric Rossy on November 14th of 2015. New Zealand’s Joe Parker, 24-0 (18) holds the WBO title and lives in Las Vegas.
Jamaican heavyweight Dilian Whyte, 22-1-1 (16), of the UK, defeated Swede Robert Helenius, 25-2 (16), of Finland, for vacant WBC Silver title.
Khalid Yofai, 23-0 (14), of the UK, retained his title defeating Sho Ishida, 24-1 (13), of Japan, for WBA World Super Flyweight title.
Anahi Esther Sanchez, 1732 (9), of Argentina, lost to Olympian Kate Taylor, 7-0 (4), of Ireland, for the vacant WBA World Female lightweight title.