Charles Martin vs. Anthony Joshua: Early Breakdown of IBF World Title Fight
Undefeated British prospect Anthony Joshua will test his 15-fight perfect record against Charles Martin on April 9, with the IBF Heavyweight Championship on the line.
The British heavyweight champion—who has secured 15 knockout victories to date—is expected to face the sternest challenge of his young career when he comes face-to-face with the current belt holder at the O2 Arena in London.
Like Joshua, Martin is also unbeaten, and he has held the championship belt for exactly one month following his crowning against Vyacheslav Glazkov.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Former world champion David Haye is particularly excited about his fellow countryman's prospects ahead of the clash:
Read on for more information ahead of the title fight, along with all of the key details of television coverage for what could prove to be an unmissable matchup.
Date: Sunday, April 9
Venue: The O2 Arena, London
Live Stream: Sky Sports Box Office (UK)
TV Info: Sky Sports
Learning the Hard Way
Per Boxrec, standing at 6’6”, Joshua has a domineering physique, yet it is his athleticism and agility that are most admirable in his manner.
An Olympic gold medalist at the 2012 London Games, Joshua is preparing to enter the elite ranks when he takes on Martin. That's despite not fighting since his seventh-round, knockout victory over long-time rival Dillian Whyte in December, per Edward Chaykovsky of BoxingScene.com.
That clash could prove to be critical ahead of Joshua's championship bout, with the Englishman finally facing an opponent who could truly test him. After a series of fights against relative journeyman, Joshua will have learned from the experience of his stumble and use it to his advantage going forward.
Onlookers, such as sports journalist Paul Hayward, understand the decision to go for a championship belt so early on is a brave decision:
In just his 16th competitive fight, Joshua has less in-ring experience compared to Martin—who holds a 23-0-1 career record, including 21 knockouts, per Boxrec. However, the venue in London will bring back positive memories for Joshua, with five of his 15 wins coming in the capital, where he is typically buoyed on by the home fans.
In the other corner, 29-year-old Martin will be embarking on his first fight outside of the United States, per Sky Sports. The American gathered the IBF belt in fortuitous circumstances during his Brooklyn, New York, bout in January, with his Ukrainian opponent Glazkov forced to retire in the third round due to a knee injury, per the MailOnline's Andrew James.
A relative obscurity, Martin has picked off several other contenders along his way, but despite his additional nine fights compared to that of Joshua, it could be argued the U.S. fighter remains just as much a junior in the professional realm, per Jeff Powell of the Daily Mail.
The IBF belt was previously owned by Tyson Fury, but the Englishman was stripped of the belt after refusing to fight Glazkov, per the BBC. With the belt vacated, Martin took advantage and pounced. He will have to move just as quickly between the ropes on April 9 if he is to prevent Joshua from adding another belt and another KO to his already impressive career.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
