Anthony Joshua knocks Dillian Whyte out in seventh round after being given his toughest test to date before securing 15th win

Anthony Joshua bombed his way to brutal vengeance over his London arch-rival in a fight which could, perhaps should, have been abandoned almost before it got started.

Britain’s next great heavyweight hope, in the frothing wake of Tyson Fury, demolished the concrete building called Dillian Whyte six rounds after he had ignited a riot by battering away at his opponent after the bell sounded for the end of the first.

Disgrace for boxing, which will have to be censured by the British Boxing Board of Control, grew into a brutal if legal brawl and ended in the most explosive victory of even Joshua’s accelerating career.

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Anthony Joshua knocked Dillian Whyte out in the seventh round of their bout at the O2 Arena on Saturday night

The Olympic gold medallist (right) was given his toughest test in his professional career to date by Whyte

Joshua was rocked by Whyte in the second round and forced to dig deep to get the better of his old rival

A riot followed Joshua’s after-time punches and a manic response by Whyte in which he might easily have knocked out referee Howard Foster into the bargain.

Shamefully, the handlers of both these giant combatants, officials and security men invaded the ring and it took long, long, ugly seconds for them all to be pulled apart and Whyte to be forced to their corners.

Fortunately, although in uproar, the crowd in the 02 did not join in the fracas.

That enabled the exemplary Mr Foster to cool things down further by delaying the start of the second round while he ordered the boxers to calm down.

Not that they were willing to withdraw from head-on, full-blooded, hand-to-hand combat so raw that Joshua would describe it at the end as a fight ‘on the cobbles.’

Promoter Eddie Hearn called it ‘the fight Anthony needed.’ 

Joshua eventually got the better of his rival Whyte after a tough battle in front of a packed house at London's O2 Arena

There was a flashpoint after the first round when Whyte and Joshua continued fighting after the bell

Whyte had to be restrained as things turned ugly and people jumped into the ring after the first round

Whyte chased Joshua down after the first round as he felt he was hit after the bell by the Olympic gold medallist

The referee was caught up in the melee between Whyte and Joshua as he tried to separate the heavyweight rivals

Whyte is held back in the corner as tempers flayed after round one

In many ways it was. Whyte’s courageous defiance and resilient chin extended London Olympic champion Joshua beyond three rounds for the first time in his all-knock-outs professional career.

During these seven stanzas of brutality, he deliberately entered into a war to prove his own jaw would not be vulnerable to the only rival to have floored him as an amateur.

It was a risk but one which proved well worth taking – and not only because it justified Sky television’s decision to make this a pay-per-view event.

No-one in the O2 or TV audience was short-changed by so much as a farthing.

Joshua landed enough of his lethal right hands to have KO’d a dozen less heroic men than Whyte. The longer the man who had insulted him so angrily stayed on his feet, the more he had to prove that he, too, could withstand hammer blows.

Although Joshua had the better of most of the rounds – I gave only one to Whyte – there were times he had to take as good as he gave. 

The fight continued and Joshua began to take control after being hurt by Whyte early in the contest at the O2 Arena

Joshua regained control, but Whyte proved to be a durable opponent as he took a number of clean shots from Joshua

The referee called off the fight in the seventh round with Whyte tangled in the ropes after being knocked out

Whyte was finished off in the seventh round after providing his rival Joshua with a stern examination

Whyte received oxygen after his heavy knockout in the seventh round of his fight against Joshua on Saturday

The pace was startling for two heavyweights, until finally Whyte could take no more.

Joshua’s heftiest sledgehammer of all turned his antagonist’s legs to rubber. Whyte tried to con Joshua into believing he was play-acting. But as he waved at Big Josh to come forward the Commonwealth and now British heavyweight champion duly obliged.

The onslaught ended with a massive right uppercut which dropped Whyte onto his back, his head lolling worryingly through the bottom ropes.

Mr Foster had seen enough. Whyte had taken more than enough.

Whyte was not quite carried out – and Joshua is not getting carried away. Sensibly, even in after-burner of a blisteringly heated battle, he talked of progression towards a world title bid rather than an unseemly rush for the stars.

But no-one should make any mistake: Anthony Joshua is for real. 

Joshua celebrates after being given a stern examination by Whyte in his 15th professional fight on Saturday night

The 26-year-old celebrates with his British and Commonwealth titles after a brutal knockout victory over Whyte at the O2 Arena

Joshua posted this picture on Instagram after his victory over Whyte on Saturday night at the O2 Arena