British boxer Anthony Joshua, centre, celebrates with with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan after winning against Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko following their fight for Joshua’s IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles, at Wembley Stadium, in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
British boxer Anthony Joshua, left, trades blows with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko during their fight for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles, at Wembley Stadium, in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
British boxer Anthony Joshua, left, takes a blow from Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko during their fight for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles, at Wembley Stadium, in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)(/PA via AP)
British boxer Anthony Joshua, left, fights Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. Joshua won with an 11th round stoppage. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
British boxer Anthony Joshua, right, smiles as he stands with former boxer Carl Froch after beating Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in a fight for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. Joshua won with an 11th round stoppage. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
British boxer Anthony Joshua, right, smiles as he celebrates after beating Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko in a fight for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. Joshua won with an 11th round stoppage. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
British boxer Anthony Joshua, left, greets Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko after winning their fight for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles, at Wembley Stadium, in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)(/PA via AP)
British boxer Anthony Joshua, centre, celebrates winning against Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko following their fight for Joshua's IBF and the vacant WBA Super World and IBO heavyweight titles, at Wembley Stadium, in London, Saturday, April 29, 2017. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
LONDON — Anthony Joshua remained in the ring long after 90,000 of his supporters had filed out of Wembley Stadium, posing happily for pictures with his team and hugging just about everyone he knew.
No reason to leave early when being the heavyweight champion is so much fun.
There was a lot to love Saturday night in front of a packed crowd at England’s national stadium, where Joshua got off the canvas to stop longtime champion Wladimir Klitschko in a coming out party of sorts that electrified the boxing world.
The biggest heavyweight fight in British history was also the best. There was an epic fifth round where Joshua knocked Klitschko down and then held on himself to survive.
Just five years removed from winning an Olympic gold medal in London, Joshua stopped a fighter who dominated the heavyweight division for nearly a decade. Though the win came with some anxious moments for the hometown fans, it also established Joshua as a superstar in the making who just might be the fighter who can make boxing must-see TV once again.
