Anthony Joshua has successfully defended his IBF heavyweight title with a seventh-round stoppage victory over Dominic Breazeale.

The 26-year-old had been expected to make light work of challenger Breazeale and although he dominated throughout, he had to be patient as the American took everything that was thrown at him for the first six rounds.

Joshua took the opening round with ease and in the second, it appeared that another quick-fire finish was on the cards as Breazeale staggered back onto the ropes but after surviving the onslaught, he settled into the fight.

He continued to get tagged often by Joshua without offering much back, but he made the Olympic gold medallist wait for the conclusion that seemed more inevitable as each round passed by.

Breazeale finally hit the canvas in the seventh after a barrage of punches and although he made the count, Joshua soon ended the bout with a crushing left after pinning his opponent in the corner.

Joshua extends his professional record to 17 successive wins while Breazeale suffers his first defeat in his 18th outing.