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On this day in sport: Joshua wins Klitschko classic, Surrey set world record

April 29 in previous years saw Anthony Joshua overcome Wladimir Klitschko and Surrey set a record for the highest 50-over score.

By Tom Webber
Joshua

Anthony Joshua will be hopeful of a huge heavyweight unification bout in the near future, but April 29 offers a chance to reflect on one of his greatest achievements.

A bout with IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and Joshua will be keen to soon offer fans in the United Kingdom another taste of the thrills he supplied against Wladimir Klitschko on this day three years ago.

The Briton claimed a victory that effectively retired one of the sport's all-time greats after a fight for the ages.

We look back at that and other memorable events to occur on April 29 down the years.

1985 – Taylor takes 'black ball final'

Steve Davis was at the peak of his powers and headed into the 1985 World Snooker Championship at the top of the world rankings and having won three of the previous four editions.

After winning every frame in the opening session, Davis took an 8-0 lead over Dennis Taylor at the start of the second.

However, Taylor rallied and managed to tie the match at 11-11 on the second day and he refused to go away, reeling in Davis again to force a 35th and final frame.

It lasted a tense 68 minutes and continued into the early hours of Monday morning, with Taylor coming from 62-44 down to ensure the title would be decided by the final ball.

Taylor was the man to sink it on his fourth shot, lifting the trophy for the first and only time in his career.

2006 – Texans leave Bush on the board

Having gained 2,000 all-purpose yards in his junior year at the University of Southern California, won the Heisman Trophy – though he was later stripped of it – and clocked a 40-yard dash time of 4.33 seconds in USC's post-season pro day showcase, Reggie Bush was tipped to be the top pick in the draft.

He even signed an endorsement deal with Adidas in the days leading up to the event.

However, the Houston Texans took the much-derided decision to overlook Bush and take defensive end Mario Williams out of North Carolina State University.

Bush was taken second overall by the New Orleans Saints and was part of their success at Super Bowl XLIV after the 2009 season.

Williams went on to justify the pick with four Pro Bowl selections and Bush failed to live up to the heights he was tipped for.

2007 – Surrey world record

Ali Brown and James Benning earned Surrey a place in the record books with a gargantuan total against Gloucestershire in a One-Day Cup match.

The Surrey openers shared an opening stand of 294 before Brown, whose century came off just 50 deliveries and racked up 20 fours and eight sixes, was finally dismissed for 176 off 97 balls.

Benning reached 152 but fell to Anthony Ireland after 134 balls, though there was no let up for the visitors.

Rikki Clarke blasted an unbeaten 82 off just 28 deliveries – plundering nine fours and six maximums to lead Surrey to 496 for four. It remains the highest innings score by any team in a limited-overs game.

Gloucestershire were skittled for 239 after 34.1 overs, with Surrey consequently claiming a crushing 257-run triumph.

2017 – Joshua clinches statement victory

After beating Charles Martin for the IBF heavyweight title in April 2016, Joshua enjoyed comfortable defences against Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina.

The biggest test of his career was next and it came at a sold-out Wembley against Klitschko, who had dominated the division for the best part of a decade until a shock loss to Tyson Fury in November 2015.

Joshua scored the first knockdown in round five but was sent to the canvas by a resurgent Klitschko in the next session.

Questions had been asked about whether Joshua had the stamina to last the distance given he had not previously been required to go beyond the seventh round.

Despite looking wobbly at points, the Briton had enough in the tank to send Klitschko down two times in the 11th before the referee called a stop to the fight to hand him the vacant WBA belt in addition to his IBF strap.

Story first published: Wednesday, April 29, 2020, 12:22 [IST]
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