Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko has been hailed as everything from a classic heavyweight encounter to the saviour of the sport boxing since the Englishman had his arm raised following a TKO victory on Saturday night.
The 90,000 fans that packed into Wembley were in awe at the spectacle, and those watching at home we left fully justified in their decision to purchase the event, but even the sport's most notable voices were blown away by what they saw.
Speaking on his regular sport for BBC Radio 5 Live, Steve Bunce is one who believes that Joshua's win was vital for the future of the sport, and he took a moment to point out just how close we were to witnessing a very different outcome.
In a crazy sixth round, Klitschko had Joshua on the canvas after the Englishman had gone all in for the finish in the fifth. Bunce believes that if the round has lasted another 10 or 15 seconds, the referee may have been forced to stop it as he did to spare Klitschko further punishment in the 11th round.
'Joshua's career, Joshua's everything and boxing's future was saved by the bell'
Steve Bunce discusses the fifth round of #JoshuaKlitschko pic.twitter.com/HAUdVzdfwb— BBC 5 live Sport (@5liveSport) May 1, 2017
[Klitschko] had no right to survive, but once he did survive, and Ronald mentioned it, he [Joshua] has punched himself out with about a minute and twenty to go, and Anthony Joshua's career, and Anthony Joshua's eveything, and boxing's future, was saved by the bell.
Another 10 or 15 seconds and the referee might have had to stop it. Anthony Joshua had nothing at that point.
He had nothing left, and he stumbled back to his corner and I looked at Richie and I looked at Ron, and I drew a finger under my throat because I thought it was all over.
It's a sign of Joshua's remarkable ability to recover that Bunce had written him off at that stage, but he was far from done.
Joshua would spend the next few rounds finding his feet and getting his rhythm back, before launching a late assault that was too much for Klitschko to handle.
It made for an absolutely incredible watch, and the fact that Anthony Joshua had to stare defeat in the face only to come back and win is what added to it's legendary status.
