Anthony Joshua endured a frustrating night before eventually stopping Carlos Takam and defending his IBF, IBO and WBA heavyweight titles in 10 rounds in Cardiff.

In his first fight since ending the career of the great and once-dominant Wladimir Klitschko, 28-year-old Joshua required his advantages in size, speed and power to gradually wear down his previously little-known opponent from France.

Bigger fights against superior opponents are expected to follow in 2018 - but in defeating his mandatory challenger and excluding that with Klitschko, the Briton unexpectedly faced the toughest match-up of his career.

Takam, 36, had only accepted his first world title shot at less than two weeks’ notice and fought for most of the fight with a gruesome cut which obscured his vision.

For Takam, it was a fourth career defeat after a points loss to Parker last year and knockout loss to Russia’s Alexander Povetkin in 2014.

Takam, who boxed for Cameroon at the 2004 Olympics before relocating to Paris a year later, was drafted in as a late replacement opponent at 12 days’ notice after Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev injured a shoulder.

Joshua was not satisfied with the stoppage, but he felt the referee did the right thing.

"I'm happy with that the win is secured and we move on," said Joshua, who paid tribute to his opponent for battling on despite the injury."

"His eyes were nearly hanging off because the cut was deep, but he wanted to carry on and that's the fighter's instinct.

"I didn't care if I sparked him out or it went 12 rounds, but people wanted to see him unconscious. I tried to do that but the ref's job is to make sure they can fight another day.

"I didn't want to rush things because he was quite experienced. He knows his durability and just (wanted to) try to land that one sweet punch and those belts go back to France."