<p class="title">Britain's Anthony Joshua delivered a devastating technical knockout in the seventh round to defeat Russian Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and retain his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO world heavyweight championship belts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In front of about 80,000 fans, Joshua moved on to 22 fights unbeaten in his professional career by handing the 39-year-old Povetkin only his second defeat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Joshua, returning to the arena where he knocked out Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in April, 2017 to become a unified heavyweight world champion, was given a hero's reception by the almost capacity crowd.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, early on it was the smaller challenger who appeared more inspired by the occasion and he caught the Briton late in the first round with an uppercut on the nose.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both men had won Olympic gold medals, but it was the youthful energy of the 28-year-old Joshua which proved decisive as Povetkin visibly tired halfway through the contest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Joshua began dictating with his movement from the fourth round and started to find his range with his right hook.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That was what did for Povetkin, the WBA mandatory challenger, in the seventh when a fearsome right-hander from Joshua landed square on his jaw and sent the Russian to the canvas.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He got back to his feet but not for long as a flurry of punches from the champion gave him his 21st win by knockout.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Povetkin is a very tough challenger, he proved that tonight with good left hooks and counter punches," Joshua said from inside in the ring.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I came in here to have fun, and give it my best, I knew he was strong to the head but weak to the body. I was just mixing it up.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It could have been seven, maybe nine, maybe 12 rounds to get him out of there. But the ultimate aim was to be victorious.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I got my knockout streak back."</p>
<p class="title">Britain's Anthony Joshua delivered a devastating technical knockout in the seventh round to defeat Russian Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and retain his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO world heavyweight championship belts.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In front of about 80,000 fans, Joshua moved on to 22 fights unbeaten in his professional career by handing the 39-year-old Povetkin only his second defeat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Joshua, returning to the arena where he knocked out Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko in April, 2017 to become a unified heavyweight world champion, was given a hero's reception by the almost capacity crowd.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, early on it was the smaller challenger who appeared more inspired by the occasion and he caught the Briton late in the first round with an uppercut on the nose.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Both men had won Olympic gold medals, but it was the youthful energy of the 28-year-old Joshua which proved decisive as Povetkin visibly tired halfway through the contest.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Joshua began dictating with his movement from the fourth round and started to find his range with his right hook.</p>.<p class="bodytext">That was what did for Povetkin, the WBA mandatory challenger, in the seventh when a fearsome right-hander from Joshua landed square on his jaw and sent the Russian to the canvas.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He got back to his feet but not for long as a flurry of punches from the champion gave him his 21st win by knockout.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Povetkin is a very tough challenger, he proved that tonight with good left hooks and counter punches," Joshua said from inside in the ring.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I came in here to have fun, and give it my best, I knew he was strong to the head but weak to the body. I was just mixing it up.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It could have been seven, maybe nine, maybe 12 rounds to get him out of there. But the ultimate aim was to be victorious.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"I got my knockout streak back."</p>