Anthony Joshua got off the canvas to beat Wladimir Klitschko in a classic world heavyweight title contest on this day in 2017.

Roared on by the majority of the 90,000 crowd at a packed Wembley Stadium, the Briton recovered from a knockdown in the sixth round to stop the Ukrainian great in the 11th.

The then 27-year-old’s victory, which heralded the start of a new era in the heavyweight division, saw him add the WBA belt to his IBF crown.

Joshua was put down for the first time in his career in the sixth round (Nick Potts/PA)

Both fighters appeared on the brink of defeat at various stages of a see-saw clash which burst into life when Joshua floored veteran Klitschko in the fifth round.

The 41-year-old recovered to put Joshua down, for the first time in his career, in the next but the younger man hit back in brutal fashion to drop Klitschko for a second time in the 11th.

Klitschko regained his feet but was felled again by a left hook and referee David Fields intervened to stop the contest moments after his next attempt to continue.

“I came out and I won,” said Joshua. “I didn’t go into the slugfest, I came back and fought my heart out.

“Boxing is about character. As I said from the get-go, it will be a boxing classic.”

The contest was stopped after a brutal display by Joshua in the 11th round (Peter Byrne/PA)

Klitschko was gracious in defeat and retired three months later, marking the end of an era in which he and his brother Vitali had dominated the heavyweight division.

He said: “It was really sad I didn’t make it. I was planning to do it, it didn’t work – but all respect to Anthony.

“I thought he wouldn’t get up, he managed to get up. Respect.”

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