Wednesday 16 March 2016 16:20, UK
Anthony Joshua is taking a world title shot early in his career - but where does the move rank in heavyweight boxing history in terms of its boldness?
Joshua goes in against Charles Martin for the IBF crown at The O2 on April 9 - live on Sky Sports Box Office - in just his 16th professional bout.
You might think that would be one of the earliest stages at which a heavyweight has taken a world title shot, but our boxing historian Bob Mee has pointed out it doesn't even make the top 10...
At the age of 27, Rademacher rounded off a 72-7 amateur career by winning heavyweight gold for the USA at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He subsequently made public his desire to become world champion of the professional game on debut.
His campaign for a lucrative bout was a successful one, as the legendary Floyd Patterson agreed to face him in Rademacher's home state of Washington. The crowd at Sicks' Stadium, Seattle, thought they were witnessing something remarkable when Patterson was felled in the second round, but the champion recovered to record a sixth-round stoppage.
Rademacher remains the only boxer in history to challenge for a world heavyweight title on his professional debut but it was to be his only shot, despite facing the likes of Zora Folley, George Chuvalo and Archie Moore before calling time on his career in the wake of outpointing Bobo Olson in Hawaii in April 1962.
The most famous 'rookie' heavyweight champion in modern boxing history, Spinks was the light-heavyweight gold medallist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and turned professional the following year - stopping his first five opponents in the space of just six months.
After harder-fought bouts with Scott LeDoux (split draw) and Alfio Righetti (points win), Spinks went in to a fight with ageing legend Muhammad Ali as a massive underdog. The man from St Louis, Missouri pulled off the shock he'd predicted, though - using his superior energy levels to earn a split decision and snatch the WBA and WBC crowns.
Spinks lost the rematch seven months later and would never regain a world title; stopped in three by WBC heavyweight champion Larry Holmes in June 1981 and in six by WBA cruiserweight king Dwight Muhammad Qawi in March 1986. He retired after a defeat to Fred Houpe in December 1995 with a record of 26-17-3-KO14.
Finnegan was known as 'The Pittsburgh Stogie' and despite winning only four of his opening 11 professional bouts, was handed a shot at James J Jeffries. The champion was waiting on a 25-round bout with James J Corbett and it was widely expected Finnegan was being used merely to mark time.
The event went as expected, although the ruthlessness with which Jeffries dispatched his challenger cannot have failed to have impressed. After Finnegan tentatively struck the first blow, he was felled three times in quick succession. Jeffries had defended his world title in less than a minute.
When the world's leading heavyweight, Tommy Burns, embarked on his world tour. He had already stopped off in London to dish out stoppages of Gunner Moir and Jack Palmer. At only 5ft 7in, the Canadian's strength was remarkable - but that did not stop Roche from challenging 'The Little Giant of Hanover' upon his arrival in Ireland.
At Dublin's Theatre Royal, the Irish heavyweight champion found himself out of his depth against Burns, who battered his way to an 88-second victory before moving on to defend his title in France and Australia, where he would lose it to Jack Johnson in December 1908.
After an amateur career that saw him fail to make an Olympic team, Bentt lost his first ever professional bout - stopped by journeyman Jerry Jones. He recovered with 10 straight victories but when thrown in with WBO world heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison, he heard the opening bell as a huge underdog.
Bentt, who was born in London but raised in New York, was hit with a couple of heavy left hooks early in the first round and went to the ropes - but with Morrison unloading, suddenly caught the champion flush with a thundering right. Morrison went down in stages and seemed elsewhere on rising to his feet. Sensing his moment, Bentt pounced with two further knockdowns to record a huge upset. He then lost the title to Herbie Hide.
Born in San Francisco, Corbett went unbeaten in his first 10 fights before taking on hometown rival Peter Jackson. The bout won attention for its longevity - the pair fought to a standstill and a no contest after 61 rounds. After another victory over Ed Kinney in Milwaukee, Corbett headed for New Orleans to challenge world champion James L Sullivan.
One of the first fighters to adopt a 'scientific' approach to the sport and use feints and evasion techniques, Corbett outclassed Sullivan before recording a stoppage in the 21st round. With professional boxing still on unsteady legs legally, Corbett supplemented his income through theatrical performances and boxing exhibitions. He retired after a second defeat to James J Jeffries in 1903 with a record of 11-4-3-KO5.
Jeffries was born in Ohio and rose to prominence with an impressive early career - knocking out Peter Jackson and Mexican Pete Everett in quick succession. Further successes over Tom Sharkey and Bob Armstrong earned him a shot at Bob Fitzsimmons in New York.
Known as 'The Boilermaker' on account of his previous profession, Jeffries became world heavyweight champion by knocking Fitzsimmons out in the 11th round. He went on to beat the likes of James J Corbett and Hank Griffin - showing great power in the process. He retired undefeated only to return in 1910 for his sole career loss to Jack Johnson. His record was 19-1-2-KO16.
Ocasio hailed from Puerto Rico and turned professional in 1976 - winning his first 10 bouts in style and signing up with Don King. The high point of his career came in 1978 when he stepped up in class to face the highly-rated Jimmy Young, who had recently outpointed George Foreman.
After winning a split decision in Las Vegas, Ocasio underlined his superiority in Puerto Rico the following January with another points victory. The results earned him a tilt at Larry Holmes, who outgunned him by the seventh round. Ocasio subsequently dropped down a division to win cruiserweight titles.
James J Jeffries chose Jack Munroe as his final opponent before his first retirement. Another hardy Canadian from Ontario, Munroe lost both his first two professional contests but had since beaten the likes of Peter Maher and Tom Sharkey to earn a trip to face the champion in San Francisco.
Munroe, a former miner, did not begin well and was dropped three times in the opening round. The second was no less favourable for the challenger, as Jeffries reeled off some vicious combinations at will - prompting the referee's intervention just as he was coiling for another huge right hand.
Bey took up the sport to keep fit but improved rapidly and ended up competing on the US Army team. On his professional debut, he knocked out future world champion James 'Buster' Douglas in the second round and went on to win his first 14 professional contests.
That earned a shot at divisional kingpin Larry Holmes in Las Vegas, where he acquitted himself admirably before falling to a 10th-round knockout. Bey was halted by Trevor Berbick in his next bout and his career spiralled downward before he retired with a record of 18-11-1-KO14.
