I've just rewatched the fight and the stoppage was premature

[ThatDude44]

If you didn't stop the fight after Vlad's 3rd knockdown, why stop it on a missed flurry of punches with only like 30 seconds left. I would've liked to see if Joshua would've been gasses again and Klitchko could've added more dramatics.

[TheCleaner]

tarkin rabbish.. premature? no

not firing a single shot back while having just been kd, still wobbly, already been given the botd, that's enough to have a fight stopped as we've seen time and again in boxing. watch the whole round instead of an out of context replay

[j.razor]

only 1 of those punches landed and the rest Wlad brushed off.

Benefit of doubt should have been given to a legendary fighter that has had 69 fights over a 27 year career.

And I'm from the UK and was rooting for Joshua.

Doesn't matter cuz the ref. was giving klitschko a lot of time and sending Joshua back to the corner in the last 2 knockdowns so you could say the ref. saved klitschko earlier.

[Tom Cruise]

I thought it was slightly premature. It looked worse from the refs angle, you couldnt really see that Klit was defending pretty well.

Nothing to go crazy about really. Certainly doesnt take away from the fight or the stoppage for me.

[RetroSpeed05]

If you didn't stop the fight after Vlad's 3rd knockdown, why stop it on a missed flurry of punches with only like 30 seconds left. I would've liked to see if Joshua would've been gasses again and Klitchko could've added more dramatics.

Same, if it continued Wlad could have been KO'd or maybe AJ runs out of gas again.

[Gonzalez_Boxing]

If you didn't stop the fight after Vlad's 3rd knockdown, why stop it on a missed flurry of punches with only like 30 seconds left. I would've liked to see if Joshua would've been gasses again and Klitchko could've added more dramatics.

Agree. I hate it when a ref stops the fight just because a fighter is throwing, but not landing significant punches.

[Johnwoo8686]

I thought it was slightly premature. It looked worse from the refs angle, you couldnt really see that Klit was defending pretty well.

Nothing to go crazy about really. Certainly doesnt take away from the fight or the stoppage for me.

Your sig is legendary

[Robbie Barrett]

Yep only a jab landed, the rest missed or Wlad blocked.

[Simurgh]

I am a huge Wlad fan and I liked the stoppage. No need to risk something major. Wlad deserved to enjoy the life after boxing. Why risk it. His only chance at that point was to KO AJ in 12th, which I don't think it would happen even if he survived.

It's simple. AJ's young body got the second wing, such thing doesn't happen when you're 41.

Wlad should retire and enjoy his life. He is the champion in and out of a ring! Plenty more to come for Wlad.

[koolkc107]

I always look at the fighter who got stopped after things like that.

Wlad was not complaining in the least about it as it happened.

That is all the vindication I need to know the ref did his job and did it well.

BTW, has Wlad himself called it too early yet?