The torch was passed but not without Anthony Joshua getting burned a few times.

Joshua put 41-year-old Wladimir Klitschko down three times and stopped him at 2:25 of the 11th round in a dramatic  heavyweight fight before 90,000 Saturday at Wembley Stadium.

Photo / @MatchroomBoxing

Joshua (19-0, 19 knockouts) started quickly and put Klitschko down for the first time in Round 5, when Klitschko was also cut above his left eye. Klitschko not only survived but fought back with spirit the remainder of that round and then put Joshua down with a straight right in Round 6.

Joshua looked spent at that point, as if he might not have the stamina necessary to finish the fight. As a result, Klitschko (64-5, 53 KOs) did well in Rounds 7 and 8.

Then Joshua seemed to be reenergized, as he picked up his punch rate and turned the tide back in his favor.

The ending was dramatic. It started with a right uppercut that hurt Klitschko, followed with a barrage of shots that put Klitschko down. He got up but went down again under another flurry. Once again, he got up. And once again, Joshua attacked. This time, referee David Fields stopped it to save Klitschko from taking further punishment.

Joshua was leading on two cards (96-93 and 95-93) and behind on one (95-93). I had it 95-93 for Joshua after 10 rounds.

Klitschko was fighting for the first time since he lost the RING championship to Tyson Fury 17 months ago.

Struggling to locate a copy of THE RING Magazine? Try here or…

SUBSCRIBE

You can subscribe to the print and digital editions of THE RING Magazine by clicking the banner or here. You can also order the current issue, which is on newsstands, or back issues from our subscribe page. On the cover this month: Canelo vs. Chavez Jr. – Mano A Mano.