Three Reasons Anthony Joshua's Win Over Joe Parker was Better than You Think

Anthony Joshua capped a massive night for British boxing with a win over New Zealand heavyweight Joseph Parker at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on the final day of March. Despite defeating a fellow world champion and opponent who went into the contest unbeaten, fight fans seemed rather underwhelmed by the performance.

In beating Parker on points, AJ dropped his 100% knockout average but he gained another version of the world title in that bout and moved a step closer to unifying the division. So, why was the Londoner's win undermined? Was he lucky to get the result or is there just no pleasing some sports fans?

Here are three reasons why the performance deserves our respect...

Source: Anthony Joshua via Twitter

Joshua proved his fitness

Joshua may be an all-conquering world heavyweight champion with the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO straps in his possession but he is not without his critics. Many of them believed in the run-up to the Parker fight that AJ was a muscle-bound banger who would fall flat on his face from exhaustion if an opponent was able to stand up to his power. He didn't have the legs or lungs for a 12-round battle.

A hot favourite in the pre-fight boxing betting, the Englishman proved that theory to be nonsense when going the distance for the first time in his career and doing it without ever looking in trouble of running out of steam. He paced himself to cover the rounds, going through the gears when it was required and taking a breather when the time was right. Joshua may have a reputation as a knockout artist but each of his last three have now gone beyond ten rounds.

Victim of his own success

There's no doubt Anthony Joshua is fast becoming a victim of his own success. Many sports fans - especially those who casually follow heavyweight boxing - have short memories. It wasn't too long ago the same parties dubbed boxing boring during the era of Klitschko dominance. We now have an athlete who can box over 12 rounds or take an on opponent out early but he's seen as flawed. It's difficult to imagine what we want from our champion.

Sticking to the basics and Joshua is a man in his twenties who has picked up a clutch of world heavyweight titles despite making his professional debut late in 2013. With just 21 fights on the board, he has managed to reel off a stunning 95% KO average, bettered an unbeaten world champ, toppled the might of Wladimir Klitschko - getting off the canvas to do so - and all while keeping a clean image outside of the sport. No dramas, no Mike Tyson style nightclub punch-ups. A role model for younger sportsmen and one who has already said he won't go to America but, instead, take the big fights to UK fans.

Source: Anthony Joshua via Twitter

Tyson Fury factor

No matter what Joshua does between now and retirement, he'll never be able to shake Tyson Fury from his back until he meets the Manchester man in the squared-circle. Fury suffered a host of personal problems outside of sport but remains a former world champ who never lost his belts in the ring - currently undefeated in 25.

Many believe Fury would out-box Joshua but those fight fans are failing to remember it's the same man who hasn't fought competitively since 2015, was hurt by a cruiserweight early in this career and famously punched himself in the face during a fight.