The
heavyweight division once again takes center stage in the
boxing world on Saturday, April 29th
when IBF Champion Anthony Joshua defends his belt, as well as
vies for the vacant WBA (Super) and IBO titles, against the
ageless wonder Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in London,
in a fight dubbed “The Battle of Britain.”
The
27-year-old Joshua, a native of Watford, England, enters the
fray with an 18-0 record after a third-round knockout of Eric
Molina last December. It was Joshua’s second successful defense
of his IBF belt, the first of which resulted in a seventh-round
KO of then unbeaten Dominic Breazeale last June. It was the
first match of Joshua’s young career that lasted beyond the
third round.
Meanwhile,
Klitschko hasn’t stepped in the ring since losing a unanimous
decision to Tyson Fury in October of 2015. It was his first loss
in ten years and brought to an end an era of dominance shared
with older brother Vitali. After repeated attempts to schedule a
rematch with Fury fell through, Wladimir agreed to battle Joshua
in hopes of regaining the titles he once held for over a decade.
It’s a
classic young buck versus savvy veteran bout. Joshua has youth
and athleticism on his side, but Klitschko has 20-plus years of
ring experience, 68 total fights, and a record 28 title matches
to complement a deadly straight right hand and potent left hook.
Wladimir
Klitschko +185
Anthony Joshua -220
At age 41,
Klitschko is clearly past his prime. He displayed a lethargic
effort in the Fury defeat, and for the first time in years
failed to land any devastating shots. He’s also dealt with some
nagging injuries over the last 18 months, which is cause for
concern considering his advanced age. His biggest advantage is
his ring smarts and strategic prowess. If he can suck Joshua in
with his jab and make the kid chase the knockout, he still has
enough power to do damage. Although not in his best interest to
go too long, the longer he can toy with Joshua, the more
frustrated the young champ will become. Frustration can lead to
mistakes, and that’s where Klitschko can pounce. If he stays
patient and waits for his moment, an upset is possible. That
said, his lengthy time away from the ring could either be a
benefit or a hindrance. Any signs of early rust could prove
costly against the sharp and hungry champion.
Joshua has
knocked out every opponent he’s faced. His 6’6” frame places him
on Klitschko’s eye level, and his 82-inch reach bests
Klitschko’s by an inch. He moves well for a man his size and has
exceptional balance when firing. Very rarely does his throw wild
punches, instead opting for compact blows that spring with
power. The longest fight was the aforementioned seventh-rounder
against Breazeale. As such, it’s fair to wonder how he will
respond mentally and physically if it goes the distance and is
left to the judges. From a stamina standpoint, he should be
fine, unless he’s slacked in the training room. But the real
test is between the ears. If he can’t knock the wise Russian
out, what will his plan of attack be? Despite his inexperience,
he has shown deft ability to use the left jab to set up the
straight right, as he did against Charles Martin to seize the
IBF belt, dropping the former champ with a par of lethally fast
straight rights. If Klitschko can’t counter it or shows signs of
fatigue at any point, he’s in trouble.
