Sports

Anthony Joshua’s top five fastest first-round KOs, including stunning 90-second knockout and ending rival’s career

Published

3 months ago

January 26, 2024

Anthony Joshua's top five fastest first-round KOs, including stunning 90-second knockout and ending rival's career

Anthony Joshua’s professional boxing career got off to a blistering start more than a decade ago.

The 2012 Olympic gold medallist made a sensational impression in his early days as he ascended to a 20-0 record while maintaining a rare 100 per cent knockout ratio.

Young Joshua was ruthless and has won five of his 30 fights by first-round knockoutCredit: Getty

In his first 14 fights, none of AJ’s opponents took him further than round four.

He became IBF world champion by flattening Charles Martin in his 16th fight and then picked up the WBA belt when he famously floored Wladimir Klitschko in his 19th.

It wasn’t until he beat Joseph Parker by unanimous decision to win the WBO crown that Joshua’s knockout streak finally ended.

But what were his fastest KOs during this period?

5. AJ TKO1 Emanuele Leo
Time: 2m 47s

Joshua has scored five first-round knockouts in his career, the first of which came against Leo in his pro debut in October 2013.

AJ pinned the Italian against the ropes and unleashed his power before the referee stepped in.

Leo quickly found himself on the canvas and the referee spared him from more punishment in the first roundCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Leo had been 8-0 beforehand, but never fought again afterwards.

4. AJ KO1 Hector Alfredo Avila
Time: 2m 14s

In his fifth fight, Joshua took on Avila and scrambled his senses with a left hook.

The 2014 event in Glasgow was on the undercard of Ricky Burns vs Terence Crawford, who moved to 23-0 en route to becoming the pound-for-pound best in the world.

Argentine Avila, who survived a series of hooks and uppercuts to the head and body prior to the KO, was left rolling around on the floor as a result of the left hook to the head.

3. AJ TKO1 Gary Cornish
Time: 1m 37s

Cornish couldn't compete — Cornish couldn’t competeCredit: Getty

Joshua was thought to be taking a step up when he faced Cornish for the Commonwealth title in 2015.

However, AJ demolished the 21-0 Scot in little over 90 seconds.

Headlining the bill at the O2, the card also featured Dillian Whyte, who Joshua faced next.

The bout against his rival was almost off before it began when a brawl broke out early on.

2. AJ TKO1 Michael Sprott
Time: 1m 26s

In Liverpool in 2014, Joshua made it 10-0 in style.

Sprott had been a European, British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion in the past, but was irrefutably over the hill by the time he faced Joshua.

The 39-year-old lasted little over a minute on a card headlined by Tony Bellew against Nathan Cleverly and also featuring Scott Quigg, Callum Smith, James De Gale and George Groves.

1. AJ KO1 Matt Legg
Time: 1m 23s

Joshua’s fastest ever knockout came in his first fight at Wembley Stadium, a venue he would make his own in the years that followed.

AJ easily dealt with Legg in 2014 in what was his seventh outing as a professional.

Joshua is 3-0 (3 KOs) at WembleyCredit: Getty

It also happened to be on the undercard of the Carl Froch vs George Groves rematch, which the former likes to remind people it took place in front of 80,000 people.

But before AJ went on to headline the stadium for wins over Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin, he powered past Legg in 83 seconds.

Promoter Eddie Hearn told the crowd Joshua could be headlining at the venue in ‘two or three years time’ and he was right. The famous win over Klitschko happened in 2017.