Joshua outpointed Italy's reigning world and Olympic champion, Roberto Cammarelle (pictured), 15-13 in a fascinating quarter-final bout to guarantee at least a bronze medal and secure his place at next year's Olympic Games.

He is the fifth member of the team to secure qualification for London 2012.

Joshua's victory followed superb wins for bantamweight Luke Campbell, light welterweight Tom Stalker and flyweight Andrew Selby, who all secured semi-final places and, therefore, the minimum of a bronze medal.

Joshua was the huge underdog going into the bout with the powerful Cammarelle, but the 21-year-old shone in only his second multi-nation tournament as a senior.

"It was a tough learning curve at the Europeans because I'd never boxed three times before and I was so close to a medal," said Joshua.

"Sometimes making mistakes isn't a bad thing because I've learnt from that and come back stronger.

"I've made the Games, and I believed I would, but it's not just about me – it's the first time we've had four medals at the Worlds.

"It's just great for boxing back home and we're helping put the sport on the map.

"The support we've had has been brilliant and the team has been brilliant here as well.

"I believed I could beat Cammarelle, so I'm not shocked.

"It's not always about the name, but who the best boxer is on the day.

"He was a real gent afterwards.

"He's a legend, so I've got great respect for him – but I'm just so pleased to be in the semis."

The other standout performance was by 24-year-old Campbell, from Hull, who defeated reigning world champion Detelin Dalakiev, of Bulgaria, 12-8.

Campbell had already secured London 2012 qualification by reaching the last eight, but guaranteed himself a medal by moving through to the last four.

Stalker, 27, from Liverpool, was the first British boxer to qualify for the 2012 Olympics by reaching the quarter-finals, but he then defeated highly rated Indian, Manoj Kumar, 24-18 to progress to the semi-finals.

The fourth British fighter to make it through to the semi-finals was 22-year-old Selby, from Barry in Wales, who narrowly beat Michael Conlon, of Ireland, 25-24 after a titanic battle.

The Belfast boxer landed some solid shots, but Selby came back to hold him off with a late surge.

But Selby has not yet secured the London 2012 flyweight spot because his compatriot, Khalid Yafai, reached the quarter-finals in Baku.

Unless Selby goes on to become world champion, the fighters will have to box-off for the British Olympic place.

Yafai's dream of becoming world champion ended when he was beaten 14-9 in his quarter-final by the formidable American Rau'Shee Warren.

Warren, 24, from Ohio, is the first American boxer to qualify for three Olympic Games and his fast hands proved too much for the 22-year-old from Birmingham, the 2007 world champion progressing to the medal stages.

There was also for 20-year-old welterweight Fred Evans, from Cardiff, who was stopped early in the second round of his quarter-final against Egidijus Kavaliauskas after the Lithuanian hit him with a huge right.

But Evans had already secured his spot at London 2012 by reaching the last eight.

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