It’s the big one this weekend, folks. Rising superstar Anthony Joshua will take a huge leap in class as he collides with former champ and decorated veteran Wladimir Klitschko. The Heavyweight clash, which will see Joshua’s IBF and the WBA’s vacant strap in the pot, is an intriguing crossroads affair, with Joshua looking to build upon his legacy while Klitschko will aim to cement his own.
Historically, these kinds of matchups don’t favor the older man. Klitschko has many more miles on the clock, is fourteen-years-older than his fresh dance partner, and hasn’t fought since being befuddled by Tyson Fury in November 2015. The closer Saturday gets, however, increasing doubts begin to surface.
Joshua is young, in beast mode, and has looked near-flawless to date, emphatically stopping all challengers. Although you can’t knock Joshua’s performances against fringe-contenders, analysts can only speculate how he’ll cope against truly world-class opposition. And that is what makes this matchup – pitting No.5-ranked Joshua against No.2-ranked Klitschko – so interesting. Check out BB’s Top 10 Heavyweight scene for the full picture.
Joshua vs Klitschko: Fight Night Lowdown
Fight Time & TV Channel
The action begins live on Sky Sports Box Office from 18:00pm GMT, and 4:15pm ET for Showcase viewers. As I understand it, the Showtime broadcast will be only airing the main event.
Full Undercard
- Luke Campbell (16-1, 13 KO) vs Darleys Perez (32-2-2, 21 KO) | Lightweight | 12 rounds
- Scott Quigg (32-1-2, 24 KO) vs Viorel Simion (21-1, 9 KO) | Featherweight | 12 rounds | IBF Eliminator
- Katie Taylor (4-0, 2 KO) vs Nina Meinke (5-0, 2 KO) | Junior Lightweight | 10 rounds
- Lawrence Okolie (2-0, 2 KO) vs Russell Henshaw (7-4, 2 KO) | Cruiserweight | 4 rounds
- Josh Kelly (1-0, 1 KO) vs Faheem Khan (0-1-0, 1 KO) | Junior Middleweight | 4 rounds
- Joe Cordina (1-0, 1 KO) vs Sergej Vib (7-7, 4 KO) | Junior Lightweight | 4 rounds
Joshua vs Klitschko: Extended Tale of the Tape, Facts & Stats
Note: Advantageous stats are indicated in red (some may be subjective), and championship stats refer to ‘fully fledged world titles’ only.
Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko
Physical/Vital
Birthplace
Watford, England … Kazakhstan
Age
27 … 41
Height
6’ 6” … 6′ 6″
Reach
82″ … 81″
Stance
Orthodox … Orthodox
Lightest / Heaviest Weight
229 / 249 … 220 / 249
Record
Debut
2013 … 1996
Bouts
18 … 68
Wins / Defeats / Draws / KOs
18-0, 18 KO … 64-4, 53 KO
Knockout Ratio
100% (18) … 78% (53)
Last 5 Fights
5-0, 5 KO … 4-1, 2 KO
Last 10 Fights
10-0, 10 KO … 9-1, 5 KO
1st Round Knockouts
5 … 11
2nd Round Knockouts
7 … 11
3rd Round Knockouts
3 … 6
4th – 6th Round Knockouts
0 … 13
Defeats by Knockout
0 … 3
Knockdowns Suffered
0 … 5
Rounds Boxed
37 … 358
12-Rounders Completed
0 … 8
Current Winning Streak
18 … 0
Undefeated Fighters Defeated
4 … 12
Latest Win
Eric Molina (TKO 3) … Bryant Jennings (UD 12)
World Title Bout Experience
Wins / Defeats / Draws / KOs
3-0, 3 KO … 25-2, 19 KO
Successful Defenses
2 … 23
Longest Championship Reign
04/2016 – Present … 2006 – 2015
Major Titles Won
IBF … WBA, IBF, WBO, RING
Major Titles Currently Held
IBF … None
Boxing Base Top 10 World Ranking
No.5 … No.2
Notable Performances
JOSHUA: Eric Molina (TKO 3), Charles Martin (KO 2), Dillian Whyte (TKO 7), Gary Cornish (TKO 1), Kevin Johnson (TKO 2)
KLITSCHKO: Tyson Fury (LOSS: UD 12), Bryant Jennings (UD 12), Kubrat Pulev (KO 5), Alexander Povetkin (UD 12), Tony Thompson (KO 11/TKO 6), Jean Marc Mormeck (KO 4), David Haye (UD 12), Samuel Peter (KO 10/UD 12), Eddie Chambers (KO 12), Ruslan Chagaev (RTD 9), Hasim Rahman (TKO 7), Sultan Ibragimov (UD 12), Corrie Sanders (LOSS TKO 2), Lamon Brewster (LOSS TKO 5, WIN RTD 6), Chris Byrd (TKO 7/UD 12), Ray Mercer (TKO 6), Frans Botha (TKO 8), Monte Barrett (TKO 7)
Common Opponents
None
What’s your take on the Joshua vs Klitschko Tale of the Tape and fight lowdown? And how do you see the action playing out at the weekend? Spill your opinions in the comments below.
