Anthony Joshua beats Raphael Zumbano Love with quick knockout

The Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua warmed up for his step up in class against the heavyweight gatekeeper Kevin Johnson later this month with an easy win in Birmingham on Saturday night.

The London 2012 super-heavyweight champion extended his professional record to 12-0 (12KOs) with a comfortable knockout against Raphael Zumbano Love at the National Indoor Arena.

Now the 25-year-old Watford fighter turns his attention to a more testing showdown in three weeks’ time, when he gauges himself against the former world title challenger Johnson at London’s O2 Arena.

Love (36-10-1, 29 KOs) had been stopped only three times but left hooks to body and head were hurtful even at half-power and it was clearly a matter of time until Joshua decided to finish it.

The end came one minute and 21 seconds into the second round. A three-punch volley hurt Love and seconds later a range-finding jab was followed by a huge straight right that sent Love sprawling to the canvas.