By Alexey Sukachev

Visibly stronger, with much more muscle to go with his athletic body, Anthony Joshua easily annihilated well-traveled American journeyman Jason Gavern (26-20-4, 11 KOs) in three rounds as a warm-up for a bigger fight with Kevin "Kingpin" Johnson (29-6-1), scheduled to take place at O2 Arena in London, England, on May 30.

The 2012 London super heavyweight gold medalist and arguably the hottest heavyweight prospect in the world was in full control of the fight. Gavern looked for a survival but found it nowhere. Still he was able to finish the first round with just mild scares. 

Joshua, 25, upped his game in the second, dropping the American twice - firstly with an overhand right, then with a major left hook. Gavern, 37, clearly hurt, fought it to the end no matter what. He was put down for the third time in a corner early into the third, and Joshua punched him while down (without any warning from referee Victor Loughlin). 

Finally, Gavern connected with another right hand soon after that, putting Jason down for the count. Time of stoppage was 1:21 of the third. 

Joshua moves to 11-0, with 11 KOs. Gavern, suffering his twentieth loss, lasted record 441 seconds - five second longer than another Joshua's opponent Konstantin Airich.

With his career at stake, comebacking cruiserweight Jon-Lewis Dickinson (16-4, 5 KOs) was forced to dig deep and that was exactly what he has done in the eighth-round stoppage of previously undefeated prospect Stephen Simmons (11-1, 5 KOs), snatching the latter's WBC Silver International 200lb title.

Simmons, 30, who had previously scored wins over Wadi Camacho and David Graf among others, was confident in the opener. He pressed forward, relying on his physical prowess and mighty punch. Dickinson, two years younger but eight fights more experienced, started to find his rhythm in rounds two and three. Jon-Lewis, who was previously stopped by Ovill McKenzie in 2014 and then lost a razor-thin 94-95 decision to Courtney Fry, began to move more fluidly, utilized his superior jab and kicked off some beating on Simmons. Simmons was still pressing forward but it was Dickinson, who was doing more damage. Dickinson was better in the fourth and in the fifth stanzas.

Simmons had some success with his left hooks in the sixth stanza but then Dickinson exploded again in the seventh, hurting the champion and forcing him to reel backward. In the eighth, Simmons looked to be on wobbly legs after a couple of blows eaten. He leaned forward and tried to grab Dickinson's legs, and saved some time doing so. But Dickinson wasn't there to be denied as he connected with several more big punches, the latter being a hard right hand. Simmons went down, got himself up but was still on a queer street, so that referee Ian-John Lewis had no other choice but to wave it off at 2:15 of the round.

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Cruiserweight Simon Vallily (7-0, 1KO) won a six round decision over Wlodzimierz Letr (4-4) over six rounds. The sole score was 60-54.

Jordan King (5-0, 2KOs) got his first round knockout on Lain Jackson (4-27-2) in a light heavyweight battle.

Super lightweight prospect Lewis Ritson (1-0) made his pro debut with a fourth round decision over Kristian Laight (9-197). The sole score was 40-36.

  

Hosea Burton (12-0, 5KOs) scored a fourth round stoppage over Lee Dunacn (6-10-2) in their light heavyweight contest.