WBO, IBF and WBA champion Anthony Joshua is all set to grab WBC belt from the current title holder Deontay Wilder. 28-year-old Brit has called out to undefeated Wilder to face him offering him 11.5 million pounds for the belt. According to AJ, he would not retire without being declared as the undisputed heavyweight champion. While AJ is all geared up to face off rival Alexander Povetkin, he is certain that a brawl between him and Wilder would prove to be legendary.
This is what the Briton prodigy had to say about his upcoming bout,
“I’ve been watching Povetkin in his fights against (Mike) Perez and then I watched him fight (Carlos) Takam,” said the IBF, WBA and WBO champion Joshua, who defends his titles against the 38-year-old Russian at Wembley Stadium on September 22.”
AJ went on to add,
“Takam is a tough cookie so when I watched him knock Takam out cold I thought ‘hello, he is a bit of a puncher’.”
The unified world champion further said,
“I have watched him more now and I understand how he lands some of his shots, I have watched him in sparring. I know the shots that hit him, I have watched how his weight fluctuates. I like his style, it’s a dangerous one.”
But it is no secret that AJ desperately wants to encounter WBC undefeated king Deontay Wilder.
Wilder, on the other hand, is eyeing a match with former unified champion Tyson Fury in Las Vegas. It is expected that the fight would take place in December, with the winner facing Joshua next in April 2019 in Wembley Stadium.
The 28-year-old Watford native said,
“Me and Wilder is the best fight in the division. He has a good style, he knows how to come under and throw a shot round the body or head,” said Joshua. “If I fight anything like the way I boxed Parker it won’t be a good fight for me. I think I really have to change my style and be a bit more aggressive. But having someone like Povetkin coming to meet me should make it easier to land my shots as my last fight with Parker was one in which he was always on the back foot.”
While talking about his rival Alexander Povetkin, Joshua said that his head movement needed a lot of improvement and if he doesn’t work on it, it could land him some nasty shots. The Russian star has had an astounding career as an amateur Olympic and a single defeat in his otherwise flawless boxing career. His première defeat comes at the hands of Wladimir Klitschko who put him to distance for most part of the fight.
For AJ a victory against Povetkin will act as a stepping stone for his future endeavor against Wilder; a fight that can help crown AJ as the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion. The three-belt holder said that a single bout against the raging American may not suffice. He said that perhaps two fights are needed to see who the real king of heavyweight division really is.
“If you beat me and beat me in a rematch then you are set to be the king of the heavyweight division. But, if you believe it, then you have to sign a contract and get it done. I remember the first fight Joe Louis lost against Max Scheming. Louis went away and he studied him and then knocked him out in round one of the rematch. It shows you how important studying your opponent is. Scheming had studied Louis for the first fight and realized he used to drop his left hand.”
AJ ended the conversation by stating the following about his upcoming bout against Alexander Povetkin,
“I’ve studied Povetkin and the results will be there when we meet in the ring.”
Whom do you think is the real undisputed king of boxing’s heavyweight division; Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder? Share your views by commenting below.
