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Ukrainian Boxer Klitschko Loses Title Fight To U.K.’s Joshua


Ukrainian boxier Vladimir Klitschko (right) faces off against Anthony Joshua before their bout.
Ukrainian boxier Vladimir Klitschko (right) faces off against Anthony Joshua before their bout.

Ukrainian boxing legend Vladimir Klitschko lost to Anthony Joshua of the U.K. in a world heavyweight title fight stopped in the 11th round.

The April 29 fight, before a crowd of 90,000 people at London’s Wembley Arena, was stopped after the 41-year-old Klitschko took a flurry of punches in the corner during the 11th round.

With the victory, Joshua added the WBA title to his IBF crown. He has now won all 19 of his professional fights.

Klitschko knocked the 27-year-old Joshua to the canvas in the sixth round.

Klitschko was also knocked to the floor in the fifth round and twice more in the 11th.

"The best man won tonight and it's a massive event for boxing," Klitschko told Sky Sports.

"Two gentleman fought each other. Anthony was better today. It's really sad I didn't make it tonight."

Klitschko, who dominated the heavyweight division for nearly a decade, lost his WBA, IBF, and WBO titles to underdog Tyson Fury in Duesseldorf in November 2015.

He is also an Olympic winner, having won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Based on reporting by AFP and dpa

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