Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

In three years Joshua will be too good to beat, Klitschko confesses

By Editor
02 February 2017   |   3:35 am
Former world boxing heavyweight champion, Wladmir Klitschko, on Tuesday confessed that current champion, Anthony Joshua, will be too difficult to beat in three years time, reports mirror.co.uk.

• Heavyweight battle like Olympic final, says champion

Former world boxing heavyweight champion, Wladmir Klitschko, on Tuesday confessed that current champion, Anthony Joshua, will be too difficult to beat in three years time, reports mirror.co.uk.

Answering questions on the battle to win back the titles, which he lost last year, Klitschko said, “I think it is the perfect time for both of us. In three years, he is going to be too good. And I am going to be too old, maybe. But this is the time and we just got it at the right time.”

The Ukrainian admitted it was the perfect time to face Joshua with Klitschko acknowledging that the chances of him claiming victory over the Brit decreases with time.

Klitschko and Joshua are due to face off on April 29 at Wembley and the former unified heavyweight champion insisted is not trying to get into his opponent’s head.

“There’s no mind games,” Klitschko said, adding, “It’s definitely a signature fight for boxing. “We’ll demolish each other in the ring afterwards but we’re respectful to each other, respectful to the sport and to the fans and you know what, it pays off. Because that’s going to polish this amazing sweet science.”

Klitschko and Joshua appeared at a press conference in New York on Tuesday as they continued to prepare for the fight. The final batch of tickets have been snapped up, confirming the attendance at Wembley will be a British post-war record 90,000, while interest in the fight around the world is huge.
But Joshua is playing down the size of the occasion in his own mind and focusing on performing to his best.

“I’m here for a reason,” he said, adding, “I’ll handle business the way I’ve always handled it. The goal is the same – to be victorious.”
Joshua will defend his IBF title while the WBA belt is also up for grabs for both fighters.

Joshua claims the Wembley showdown will be like his Olympic final. Joshua launched his professional career after winning gold at London 2012 and feels his April 29 clash with the former world heavyweight king can be just as defining for him.

MACROBUTTON HTMLDirect Klitschko ruled the division for nine years before losing to Tyson Fury in 2015 and Joshua knows beating the Ukrainian to unify the IBF, WBA Super and IBO belts would easily be his best win.

“I think the time is right,” said the IBF champ. “It may seem soon to people, but this is my gold medal fight once again. “I know I’m going to be facing the best Wladimir.

“My obsession is about life and is about me. What I have got to do to be the best me. The outcome will always naturally happen. “Don’t worry about the title. Worry about what you’ve got to do today, tomorrow, the next day and that title will be waiting for you.”

Klitschko will be 41 when he faces Joshua and aims to answer the critics who have written him off since his shock defeat to Fury. He insists he can equal Muhammad Ali’s achievement by becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion.

“There are a lot of questions which need to be answered, not with words, but with fists,” he said. “I am obsessed with my goal to become a three-time world champion. I think it’s the perfect time for both of us. In three years he’ll be too good and I’ll be too old. It’s a signature fight for boxing and one that people are looking forward to.”

0 Comments