Joshua vs Molina results: Anthony Joshua stops Eric Molina in three

Anthony Joshua did as expected today, stopping an overmatched Eric Molina in the third round to retain his IBF heavyweight title, and set up a spring showdown with Wladimir Klitschko.

Joshua (18-0, 18 KO) had no trouble in the first two rounds, boxing patiently against Molina (25-4, 19 KO), who did his best to avoid power shots, and seemed to be looking for a single shot to perhaps catch Joshua open.

That never came, and halfway into the third round, Joshua drilled Molina with a rocket right hand, crumpling him to the canvas, propped up against the turnbuckle pad in his corner.

Molina did get up at eight, but Joshua went for the finish after that, and got it just moments later, with referee Steve Gray jumping in to stop the fight.

Joshua certainly had a successful 2016, stopping Charles Martin to win the IBF title, then defending against Dominic Breazeale and Molina, but Klitschko is going to be a huge step up in competition, and that’s where we’re going to see what Joshua is really made of, at least at this stage of his career.