Anthony Joshua wins Carlos Takam in round 10

Anthony Joshua shielded his WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles by wearing out a diversion Carlos Takam with a disputable tenth round stoppage at a boisterous Principality Stadium.>/b>

The referee stepped in to end the fight with Joshua on top in the 10th round

The Briton, 28, harmed his nose after a substantial head crash from the get-go and did not have things all his own specific manner against a warrior who took the session at 12 days' notice. 

Be that as it may, in a key fourth round in which the two men appreciated achievement, Joshua dropped his man with a snare and severely harmed the eye of his adversary.

Takam was twice assessed by ringside doctors yet fought on until the point when he was overpowered in the tenth, when arbitrator Phil Edwards ventured in to end the challenge, much to the challenger's dissatisfaction.

Takam, 36, was under weight yet not out on his feet and some inside the Cardiff setting booed the stoppage.

'I don't make the decisions'

The crowd in Wales clearly felt the decision to stop the fight was premature, but Joshua said he has "no interest" in what the officials do.
"I come to fight, I don't sit on the edge and make decisions," he said. "It was a good fight until the ref stopped it, so I have the utmost respect for Takam.
"I have no interest in what is going on with the officials, that's not my job. I think people want to see Takam unconscious on the floor, and that's what I was trying to get to."
Watford fighter Joshua said his nose had been badly swollen by Takam when the pair clashed heads in the second round.
"I had to keep my cool," added Joshua. "I've got a few months to heal it up. I'll go and see some good doctors to crack it back in place.
"If I showed any signs of weakness, the ref could have jumped in. That's what he (Takam) tried to do, but the ref stopped it."
Takam said: "I want a rematch, I made my preparations with 12 days to fight Anthony. I want to box him again. I want him, he is a great champion."

A tricky test negotiated

Cardiff's fans may have wanted a more clinical ending, having waited 10 years for boxing's return to this passionate venue but Joshua had come through a tricky test.
Things started badly when his walk-on music failed to play and the boisterous crowd howled as replays of the second-round head collision played in the stadium.

But the fourth round was pivotal in giving the masses the British win they came for. After two early Takam right hands, Joshua retaliated and floored the Cameroon-born fighter, who returned to his stool badly cut above his right eye.
Referee Edwards scrutinised work on the injury in the corner and medics interrupted the fifth and ninth rounds to assess the issue further.
The challenger deserves immense credit despite a fourth defeat in 40 fights. After settling in, the shorter and lighter man took risks to adopt his style of fighting up close and, when he briefly backed the champion up in the seventh round, groans of concern tumbled down the tiers to ringside.
Joshua raw but making history
The fact that Takam caught Joshua heavily several times perhaps points to the champion's raw nature, with just 20 bouts under his belt.
Inexperienced or not, Joshua's last two bouts have now delivered a post-war record attendance for a UK boxing event and, on this occasion, a world record for a fight staged indoors.
He has many years left at the top but history will surely show British fans have witnessed a phenomenon over the last six months.
There will be setbacks - such as the withdrawal of his original opponent Kubrat Pulev at less than two weeks' notice - but Joshua showcased his adaptability in stopping a man who had only ever been beaten inside the distance once before.
Defeat would have arguably been the biggest upset this marquee division had seen since Hasim Rahman stunned Lennox Lewis in 2001.
It never looked likely, although some will perhaps point to Joshua's career-high weight as the reason he at times looked a touch sluggish, and question why he could not blitz his way to victory.
Ultimately, Joshua is setting high standards to be judged upon.
He was at times drawn into a fight, notably when landing a left hook after Takam had enjoyed success in the seventh, but he found the poise to pick his way to a 20th straight stoppage when Takam was backed into the ropes in the 10th.
In doing so, Joshua keeps hope alive that WBC champion Deontay Wilder and WBO king Joseph Parker could share a ring with him in 2018.
Edwards' intervention arguably came too soon but Joshua's momentum looks increasingly hard to break, and he remains on course to threaten history books and become the first man to hold all four heavyweight belts.

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Anthony Joshua : I'll Dominate For A Decade

Anthony Joshua hopes to rule the heavyweight division for a decade as he prepares to defend his world titles against Carlos Takam in Cardiff.

The unbeaten 28-year-old will face Takam in front of 78,000 fans at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, live on Sky Sports Box Office, and admits he is still improving as a world champion.

But Joshua believes he can enjoy a lengthy reign at the top, if he maintains his dedicated approach to the sport.
Providing I stay disciplined in my sport, you'll hear of me for the next 10 years, and I'll definitely progress as a person, and that's what's it's about.
"I can't be perfect. I am who I am," Joshua told Sky Sports News. "I have managed to become heavyweight champion of the world and who I am, I can present myself as the person I am today, with a project and vision of improving myself for the future.
"Providing I stay disciplined in my sport, you'll hear of me for the next 10 years, and I'll definitely progress as a person, and that's what it's about.
"This isn't who I am today. I may make a mistake, but I'll correct it in the future, and that's what being a champion is about. If life was perfect and simple, people wouldn't be able to relate to me."

Joshua must cope with the muscular presence of Takam after Kubrat Pulev pulled out through injury
Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed last week that Joshua could be up to a stone lighter when he steps on the scales for Friday's weigh-in
, although the WBA 'super' and IBF title holder says his new-look leaner physique might not be ideal for the physical demands posed by Takam.
"With his style and his strength, I wish I came in heavier, so we could just stand there and slug it out with each other," said Joshua.
"His punches are going to be ricocheting through my body, so the bigger you are, the stronger you are, but why I came in lighter, I thought I was fighting Pulev, a real amateur style boxer. Jab with him and match his speed.
"This is a completely different style of fighter, so maybe I might have come in a bit heavier if I knew I was fighting Takam. But nevertheless we are here, I'm looking at myself in the best condition I am, and I'll put on the best performance in this condition I am."

Unification fights against WBC champion Deontay Wilder and WBO king Joseph Parker are thought to part of Joshua's plans and he intends to set-up another significant year in his career.
Joshua said: "If we are putting on a great fight, people are saying 'can he beat him', 'he definitely can beat him', or 'that fight will be a good fight'. 'Parker is a bit smaller, that's going to be a real good dust-up, if it's like the Takam fight'.
"There are so many questions to be answered, but all surrounds Saturday night in a weird way.
"I just need to make sure obviously I win, but if I can do it in good fashion, then the stock keeps high and we look forward to a spectacular 2018."

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[Analysis]Floyd Mayweather win Conor McGregor in 10th round in Las Vegas

Floyd Mayweather stretched out his ideal profession record to 50 battles unbeaten by ceasing Conor McGregor in the tenth round of one of the wealthiest sessions in boxing history.

The previous five-weight title holder confronted whirlwinds of early punches from UFC's most famous figure, who was making his presentation in proficient boxing at Las Vegas' T-Mobile Arena.

McGregor conveyed a fresh uppercut in cycle one and, however he edged near breaking the tenets with a few punches to the back of the head, he forced himself honorably while never looking as if he would thump out Mayweather.

The American, who left retirement for a potential $300m (£230m) pay day, executed a blueprint which jumped on McGregor's absence of molding for the late adjusts which demonstrate so key on huge battle evenings.

As the Irishman tired, Mayweather increased his fierceness and by cycle nine the 40-year-old started to stalk his rival, whose legs were debilitating under more effective shots.

Also, in the tenth, with McGregor again close to the ropes and offering pretty much nothing, the battle - which took after long stretches of hyper develop, angry words and disorder - was finished. He was not dumbfounded by a definitive blow, but rather with Mayweather tossing quickly, his objective was left excessively defenseless.

Ref Robert Byrd's stoppage may have arrived before the actual arranged time for a few, as McGregor's initial exertion prompted a conviction inside the field he could pull off the greatest surprise ever.

Be that as it may, the 29-year-old was shrinking and was down 89-81 89-82 87-83 on the ringside cards when the stoppage came.

His exertion and show ought to be praised, yet Mayweather's balance and strength stay steady into retirement.

Mayweather stated: "He was a great deal superior to anything I expected. Be that as it may, I was the better man. I ensured everyone this would not take care of business. Boxing's notoriety was hanging in the balance."

McGregor, who said he would come back to the UFC yet would not preclude boxing once more, stated: "I thought it was close and I thought it was a touch of an early stoppage. I was only somewhat exhausted."

Mayweather 'picked right move accomplice' for definite battle

McGregor laments 'early stoppage' in Vegas

Remember Mayweather's triumph over McGregor

Was the buildup advocated?

The individuals who watched this session can state they saw history, with Mayweather's triumph taking him past the late Rocky Marciano's ideal 49-battle record.

Furthermore, this may yet be the wealthiest battle regularly, outperforming the detailed $620m (£480m) earned by Mayweather's prevail upon Manny Pacquiao in 2015.

The nearness of A-rundown famous people, for example, Bruce Willis and Jennifer Lopez underlined the high-moving nature of a session inundated in turmoil.

Be that as it may, with just 14,623 individuals in the 20,000-situate field, there will be feedback of high ticket costs - and the air endured accordingly.

As US news systems set up studios on Vegas' strip in the development, banter over the authenticity of the battle ruled.

MMA visitors said boxing was dated, and were blamed for talking with an obliviousness towards the sweet science. One intellectual said Mayweather would look like Michelangelo against a man whose boxing style would be "paint by numbers".

Somewhere else, neighborhood air terminals received crisis measures to manage a deluge of hot shots, while sportsbooks on the city's acclaimed strip were propped for record stakes.

However, could the buildup be legitimized? Was Mayweather excessively old? Would McGregor's tenacious undermining of his opponent work?

No, no and no. Faultfinders of the challenge will probably point to the simplicity with which Mayweather raised the stakes as confirmation this was dependably a jumble.

He stays taking care of business when in the spotlight, conveying when booed, winning with breathing space.

The reality he had just battled 39 times when McGregor quit a pipes apprenticeship to concentrate on MMA underlined the bay in understanding.

It appeared, however 'The Notorious' has caught the creative energy of new fans and will be extensively wealthier - both monetarily, and in ring make - for going up against such a test.

He boxed, well now and again. Be that as it may, similar to Hall of Fame boxers who attempted before him, he didn't have enough to stun Mayweather.

How did the battle play out?

After the frantic develop, the talking ceased before the two men ventured into the ring - and McGregor scowled at his adversary with force before the ringer.

In cycle one, he handled a fresh left uppercut and later postured with his hands in the face of his good faith. He appeared to deliberately overstate his development on occasion, loaning substance to proposals from savants his MMA footwork would be a key piece of his weaponry.

In any case, a hardened ideal from Mayweather in the second drew shouts from the majority, and "Cash" grinned brazenly at the TV cameras when on his stool between rounds.

Is it safe to say that he was toying with his man? There were minutes it showed up so. He started to stroll forward additional in the fourth yet felt a strong left counter.

Serenades of "ole" gave support to the underdog, who maddened Mayweather with tenacious punching to the back of his head.

The American's reaction was a push in the chest after the ringer in cycle five as he turned out to be remarkably more resentful.

His punches started to look stacked, however it stayed close. McGregor's initial punch volume won adjusts, Mayweather's advance through the apparatuses, though moderate, shut the shortage by the seventh, when he shocked his enemy with a counter right.

The ninth round would take the boxing tenderfoot past the 25 minutes he confronts in a UFC session, and weariness ended up noticeably irrefutable. He influenced, now and again a sitting duck to be picked off as Mayweather landed, eminently with a slappy left hand.

And afterward came the tenth. McGregor shouted when the stoppage came, as though to suggest he had all the more left. He most likely did, however excepting him discovering power we had not yet observed, he was finished. Byrd presented the inescapable.

What's more, with that, Mayweather came back to retirement with his ideal record in judgment.

What next for McGregor? His soul and attraction is with the end goal that he will keep on breaking down hindrances.

He merits massive credit, yet Mayweather's remaining in boxing history stays unblemished.

Investigation - 'McGregor demonstrated the skeptics off-base'

BBC Radio 5 live boxing reporter Mike Costello

Many individuals said in the development that this battle couldn't consider Mayweather's 50th win. Trust me, it can after the execution today around evening time.

Plainly, McGregor has demonstrated the cynics wrong and he will be in the changing area knowing he gave all that he could.

Boxing's notoriety wouldn't have been harmed at all by today around evening time since what we have seen is McGregor demonstrate that it is conceivable to switch between codes.

Web-based social networking response - 'It's been a joy'

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McGregor requests non-US judge

Conor McGregor has asked for that a universal judge is one of the three-man board of scoring authorities for his battle against Floyd Mayweather.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission will consider the interest nearby

demands from the two warriors to wear 8oz gloves

, which would go amiss from the direction measured 10oz forms that are compulsory for sessions in the 154lbs division.

"The McGregor camp has asked for a universal judge. We will check whether we believe that is reasonable, and we will mull over it," NSAC boss Bob Bennett only disclosed to Sky Sports .

"We endeavor to be adaptable and versatile. We're client benefit orientated."

Neither McGregor nor Mayweather have presented a demand about the arbitrator, who won't be given exceptional guidelines to be careful about the UFC champion's lead.

"No, we haven't gotten a demand for a global ref," Bennett said. "We have various exceptionally qualified officials that have worked in Vegas on super battles. We have a pool of skillful and qualified officials.

"I'm finishing up my examination into who I think the authorities ought to be.

"The official that is affirmed will have a demonstrated reputation of taking a shot at prominent battles, and a demonstrated record of being reliable under weight. He will be a world-class official.

"He will watch out for them two. It's a bout. I've had discussions with McGregor's chief to clarify the guidelines and directions. I clarified that it's occupant upon him that McGregor has a personal comprehension of these principles.

"I conveyed a few things to his consideration that will guarantee the wellbeing and security of the two contenders, and counteract them losing focuses.

"At our next bonus meeting, I will make my suggestion."

The NSAC are under no commitment to choose authorities from outside of Mayweather and McGregor's nations of origin, it was affirmed.

McGregor has been utilizing resigned Hall of Fame official Joe Cortez amid his competing sessions "to get comfortable with the procedure", Sky Sports were told.

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'MAYWEATHER NOT A DONE DEAL'

Floyd Mayweather's age could make up for lost time with him against a "hungry" Conor McGregor, as indicated by Jonny Nelson.

Five-weight undefeated champion Mayweather, 40, will put his ideal 49-0 record on hold against McGregor - who has never boxed professionally - at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on August 26.

McGregor's blended hand to hand fighting foundation ought not be thought little of however, as indicated by previous world cruiser-weight champion Nelson, with the age crevice between the combine possibly having an unexpected effect.

"The one thing you need to pay special mind to, how about we not overlook, Floyd Mayweather is 40 years of age," Nelson revealed to Sky Sports News. "He's been out of the ring for some time.

"I know he's best level, we're supposing there's no possibility this person [will lose], however Conor McGregor is quick individual, he has control in the two hands.

"We need to perceive how age has influenced Floyd Mayweather. In my mind, Floyd does it pass on, however how about we not overlook he's in there against a 29-year-old hungry man that can hit, that is quick and that needs it. So it is not a done arrangement."

      McGregor barks... can he bite?

McGregor's absence of specialized experience will set the Irishman up against it when he gets in the ring with Mayweather however, as indicated by Nelson, with past illustrations demonstrating those entering boxing from MMA require time to adapt."Guys that originated from blended combative technique, in case you're top level, you will barrage everyone until the point that you come against somebody who is actually preeminent at boxing on the grounds that your guard is excessively open," Nelson included.

"You saw this with Wladimir and Vitaly Klitschko. When they initially came into boxing, particularly Wladimir, he was getting thumped out, pick-stashed, particularly when he came against class contenders.

"They must take care of a bit, change the adjust, change the situating. In any case, wellness is second to none."

In spite of the fact that the chances might be stacked against McGregor when the warriors meet in the ring, there is probably who has the high ground following the transoceanic visit to buildup the battle, as indicated by Sky Sports boxing reporter Adam Smith.
"He [McGregor] was totally incredible, the way he controlled Floyd in London," said Smith. "He certainly won the question and answer session visit.

"Never observed anything like it in boxing. It was enormous. It was a sensational climate. I think I've experienced passionate feelings for Conor McGregor over the previous week, he is such an identity, he overflows magnetism."

Nelson included: "Floyd is there attempting to mind him out, it won't work at this stage. This is the thing that McGregor is utilized to."

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