Vitali Klitschko is backing Anthony Joshua to defeat Daniel Dubois and change into a three-time world heavyweight champion.
Klitschko is a legendary former champion, who held the WBC belt with distinction. Earlier in his profession he fought Lennox Lewis, the final undisputed heavyweight champion earlier than Oleksandr Usyk beat Tyson Fury in Could of this 12 months.
At the moment he’s mayor of Kyiv as town resists Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, together with his story instructed intimately in a brand new Sky documentary Klitschko: Greater than a Struggle.
Even below these circumstances, the previous champion has been following the course as we speak’s heavyweights have been charting by way of the division.
He is seen enhancements in Anthony Joshua.
Since his losses to Usyk, Joshua has introduced in numerous coaching groups and step by step progressed by way of wins over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius earlier than dominating Otto Wallin and icing Francis Ngannou.
Klitschko’s verdict: “Sometimes a step back means you can take two or three steps forward and I hope Joshua learned a lot and will be well motivated in the next fight.”
The IBF world title that Usyk vacated is on the road within the Riyadh Season: Joshua vs Dubois occasion at Wembley Stadium, dwell on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace on September 21.
Klitschko is backing AJ for the win. “I keep my fingers crossed for Joshua. Good man. Good heart. Good sportsman and has good skills,” he instructed Sky Sports activities.
His brother Wladimir Klitschko, who’s personal heavyweight championship reign ran concurrently with Vitali’s, headlined Wembley Stadium in an epic 2017 combat with Joshua.
He famously dropped Joshua within the sixth spherical. Vitali was in his brother’s nook and wonders if he might have modified boxing historical past if he’d instructed Wladimir to go for the knockout end there after which.
“History doesn’t like the word if. If… Joshua is a good fighter. A fight is about physical condition,” he stated.
“It’s about strategy and regarding the psychological game. In this fight Joshua was stronger than Wladimir.
“My private opinion as a sportsman is Wladimir made a few errors. Wladimir was ready nice for the combat but when… If,” he added with fun.
“For me this fight was very important. I’m much more quiet and comfortable when I am inside the ring.
“After I’m outdoors within the nook of my brother, I am so nervous. It was a really tough combat but it surely was a really fascinating combat, a really fascinating combat for the entire sports activities group, for all boxing followers.
“But in this fight Joshua was stronger than Wladimir.”
Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Daniel Dubois takes place on Saturday September 21 dwell on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace. Ebook Joshua v Dubois now!