Anthony Joshua Can Silence Any Doubters When He Takes on Wladimir Klitschko

Anthony Joshua has made a habit of knocking out heavyweights since turning pro, but that doesn't mean he's also bowled over every boxing fan.

The Englishman defended his IBF title on Saturday, putting away Eric Molina in Round 3 in Manchester, England. The result extended Joshua's record to 18-0, with all those wins coming inside the distance.

The main event was, in truth, a damp squib, particularly coming after a titanic tussle between Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora that saw the two punch each other almost to a standstill over 12 rounds.

After the see-saw slugfest came a rather predictable main event.

Molina barely ventured away from the ropes, clinging to them for safety like a novice ice skater refusing to let go of the edge of the rink.

His tactic from the outset was to retreat, stand upright with his hands up high and prepare for a barrage of punches. His one hope was to locate a chink in Joshua's armour and land one huge counter.

It felt like a strategy with about as much chance of success as trying to catch a lion with a cold pork chop and a butterfly net.

After measuring up his rival as if fitting him for a suit on Savile Row, Joshua cut him down to size. The beginning of the end came when the champion landed a huge right hand that left Molina slumped in his own corner. Laceupboxing tweeted the finish:

Despite the spectacular punch, even Joshua's most loyal supporters (and there are plenty of those around) would admit it was a rather forgettable fight.

As for those who remain skeptical about the 27-year-old's talents, it was not even close to the kind of performance needed to persuade them to sign up as new members of the AJ fan club.

Joshua, you see, is no different to any other high achiever in the public eye. Many will be tempted to follow his success, but you also have to be prepared for a backlash from a minority.

His critics—and you've all seen them around on social media—will continue to say Joshua's not had a genuine test at the top level. Admittedly, his hardest fight to date came against Dillian Whyte, a domestic rival who was willing to stand and trade from the first bell in December 2015.

So is Joshua the best thing since sliced bread, or is he just an overrated big man who has yet to be exposed?

The truth is he's still a work in progress. He is being judged by such lofty standards because his early progress was so swift he simply couldn't be held back any longer.

Building off the platform of his gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, shown on free-to-air television, he quickly became a recognisable figure. With each knockout win, his popularity grew. 

As Martin Hines wrote for The Independent: "Joshua is a mainstream star who has broken out of just being a known name in boxing. Your parents know who Joshua is, teenagers watch his training videos with awe and his easy-going demeanour belies a ferocious fighter in the ring."

A world title inside 18 months was perhaps not in the original plan, but Charles Martin was simply an offer too good to refuse. You do not let a lame duck for a world champion just fly by.

A first defence against Dominic Breazeale seemed acceptable enough, particularly after the American absorbed heavy punishment while hanging around until Round 7.

Yet knocking over Molina felt like doing 30 miles per hour in a Formula 1 car. While still serving a purpose in moving forward, it wasn't making the best use of the available power.

Tenderising mediocre opponents will only satiate the fans' appetite for so long. Asking them to continuously fork out money for pay-per-view cards headlined by mismatches is not a sound business model.

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Yet Eddie Hearn made sure any complaints about the product on offer were silenced in the immediate aftermath. As poor Molina was still being helped back up to his feet, Joshua's promoter confirmed his prized asset would face Wladimir Klitschko next.

The showdown—set for April 29 next year at Wembley Stadium in London—will be fascinating to watch.

In one corner will be the hungry young lion intent on domination but with much still to prove. In the other, a former king of the heavyweight jungle still keen to show there's life in the old dog yet.

For Joshua, it will be a genuine test of his technique.

Barry McGuigan wrote in a recent column for the Mirror about how the fighter has plenty of room to develop.

"Joshua still fights as if peering over a fence," the former world champion said. "He needs to move better and continues to be vulnerable to a left hook."

Any flaws have gone unpunished so far. But if Klitschko still has enough left in the tank—and is also willing to throw punches, unlike in his defeat to Tyson Fury in November 2015—Joshua could finally have a few questions to answer.

However, there is no reason to believe he will not come up with the required answers.

Having watched the Molina fight from close quarters, Klitschko has seen the power his next foe carries—and in either hand too.

He couldn't pull the trigger when confused by Fury. Will he risk exposing his chin when a seriously heavy hitter is stood in front of him?

Those Joshua doubters will suggest Dr. Steelhammer is well past his sell-by date. BoxingScene.com's Keith Edec (not one of those doubters) pointed out some worrying numbers for the Ukrainian:

Whether that loss to Fury was just a temporary blip or more the beginning of the end, only time will tell. But no one can deny Klitschko will be the biggest name Joshua's faced.

The younger of the two Klitschko brothers wasn't the only celebrated heavyweight ringside in Manchester.

While Fury was in attendance, along with Tony Bellew (a cruiserweight set to step up in 2017) and David Haye, Frank Bruno was the big man who received the biggest cheer from the crowd.

Like Joshua, Bruno held a world title. However, the public took him to their hearts because of his failures—he was a loser, but a lovable one at that. It didn't matter that he was toppled by Tim Witherspoon, mauled by Mike Tyson and then leveled by Lennox Lewis. To the people, he was just Our Frank.

When he finally won a world title—clinging on in the final round to out-point Oliver McCall—there was an open-top bus ride around the English capital to celebrate his long-awaited moment of glory.

Like Bruno, Joshua's stardom transcends his sport. They both seem so nice, for want of a better word. You wouldn't hesitate to approach them, even though they are huge men who happen to punch people for a living.

Others, however, have yet to appreciate what they might have in Joshua. This is England after all, a place where heartbreaking defeats seem to sit easier than any sort of national success.

Yet Joshua has so far suggested he could be the real deal. He may well have Bruno's popularity and Lewis' skills.

Time will tell whether that is the case, yet instead of pigeonholing or criticising him for what he's yet to do, it would be best to just climb aboard the bandwagon, find a seat somewhere and enjoy the ride.

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