Anthony Joshua should have won SPOTY ahead of Sir Mo Farah, according to SunSport readers
A poll run by SunSport revealed the Watford-born fighter should have won the top gong after his brutal wins over Wladimir Klitschko and Carlos Takam
HEAVYWEIGHT champ Anthony Joshua failed to make the top three of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year by 18 votes despite being huge favourite to win it.
Viewers were stunned when the top award went to 50/1 shot Sir Mo Farah, with Joshua having to settle for fourth in the public vote.
But according to SunSport readers, the Watford-born boxer should have run away with the votes.
SunSport created a poll titled "Who should have won the Sports Personality of the Year?" and readers were able to decide which of the candidates on the shortlist should have picked up the prestigious award.
Over 1,200 votes later and an overwhelming 45 per cent of people believed Joshua deserved to be awarded the gong.
Just 15 per cent picked eventual winner Farah while 23 per cent thought four-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton should have been top dog.
Joshua, 28, became the unified heavyweight champion of the world when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in the 11th round at Wembley Stadium in April.
90,000 fans were on their feet as Joshua retained the IBF belt and also bagged the WBA and IBO strap.
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Joshua then retained his world titles when he beat 36-year-old Carlos Takam with a TKO in round 10.
Following the decision to give Farah the gong, Piers Morgan launched a scathing attack on the SPOTY after Joshua's snub.
He tweeted: "Absolute shambles at the end of . Congrats anyway to on winning (assuming he ever got his well-deserved award) but how on earth did & not make the Top3? The British public’s glittering record of voting insanity continues..."
Northern Ireland's World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea was a shock second, with gold-winning paralympian Jonnie Peacock third.