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LONDON. — With blood streaming out of his busted nose, British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua was in deep trouble once more in front of 80 000 stunned spectators at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night. Alexander Povetkin, a 39-year-old Russian with supposedly his best days behind him, was dominating heavyweight boxing’s new superstar with his powerful inside work and punching power.

Like 17 months ago when he was knocked down by Wladimir Klitschko in the same venue, Joshua was looking vulnerable. And just like that career-defining night, he came through.

Joshua slowly picked off a tiring Povetkin and delivered a brutal finish in the seventh round to retain his WBA, IBF, and WBO belt on Saturday.

Joshua unleashed all Britain’s pent up anger with Russia to produce the most spectacular and important knock out of his booming career.

The nuclear destruction of Povetkin delivered something even more sensational than the thriller with which he had promised to make amends for his two previous routine wins.

This was the emphatic statement, punched home like a steam piston in his Wembley Stadium fortress, which hallmarks his unified world championship in blood, guts and glory.

It also sent a message to Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, as they approach their rival world title fight on December 1, that he is the man to beat — and against whom to make the most money.

A fight against either on the next designated Wembley date of April 13 would be to find the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the world since Lennox Lewis.

“A few years ago,” Joshua said, “maybe I wouldn’t have won that fight.”

The end was emphatic, and trademark Joshua. A left hook left Povetkin open and Joshua followed through with a straight right that sent the challenger to the canvas. Povetkin had his head through the ropes at one point but he managed to get to his feet, only for Joshua to pile in with a flurry of punches that caused the referee to step in and stop the fight with 1:01 left in the round.

“There is a lot of pressure, the whole country is rooting for me,” said Joshua, whose phenomenal pulling power has seen him attract almost 400 000 spectators to his last five fights. “The energy in here spurs you on and you do feel that pressure, I’m not going to lie.”

Joshua’s record moved to 22-0, with 21 wins coming inside the distance. He is booked to return to Wembley on April 13 for his next bout, and the plan is for the opponent to be either WBC titleholder Wilder or former heavyweight champion Fury.

As Joshua basked in his triumph of inflicting the first KO of Povetkin’s distinguished if somewhat drug-stained career, he insisted that his preference is to do battle with Wilder.

If that bitter negotiation can be sealed it would lift the roof — if Wembley had one which would have kept out the rain this night.

The defence of his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles was cloud-bursting enough in itself.

It was made all the more explosive because he had to come from behind on many cards at ringside, mine included.

How the official judges had him ahead is a mystery, given that Povetkin had the better of four of the first six rounds and had staggered Joshua early on.

The smaller Povetkin had come burrowing through the giant Joshua reach to land a succession of mighty right and left hooks, despite being cut by one meat-cleaving blow from the champion.

Then Joshua landed the mightiest right of all. Povetkin staggered back and was flattened by the punch storm which followed. With great courage he untangled himself from the ropes and somehow beat the count. To his own punishing end.

Joshua is one of the best finishers in boxing when he has a man in trouble and when another flurry ended with yet another right hook from hell Povetkin’s corner and referee Steve Gray combined to call a halt. As Joshua said: ‘I came to have a fight this time.’ That he did. How they love him when he does.

The faithful proved hardy, turning out in their tens of thousands in the rain. The grey, seeping clouds hung so low that their base barely cleared the top tier of the stadium.

The precipitation was mostly of that fine, drizzling variety which insinuates itself through the clothing, almost unnoticed.

The irony would not have been lost on those way up in the nose-bleed cheap seats that it was the rich closer to ringside who were getting the wettest.

The hummingbird buzz peculiar to this venue warmed up the atmosphere, in hopeful anticipation that AJ would deliver on his promise of a KO thriller.

The win over Joseph Parker had been a damp squib but there was the promise of fireworks despite the weather. The giant screens showed Joshua looking reassuringly relaxed in the dressing room in the black cap which is his latest fashion accessory.

He wasn’t going to need it in the ring, which was well covered by a canopy. Nor was there any wind of note to blow the rain in under that protective cover. Win or lose, unless the showers suddenly turned stormy, there would be no blaming the result on mother nature.

The stars came out, too. Albeit only from the myriad phone cameras held aloft by the crowd. As the time came near so the cry went up: “Oh, Anthony Joshua.” There was no sign of Jeremy Corbyn in the house with no roof. So no patriotic confusion here. — MailOnline.