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 Might of this 12 months.
In the present day he’s mayor of Kyiv as town resists Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with his story advised intimately in a brand new Sky documentary Klitschko: Greater than a Struggle.
Even beneath these circumstances, the previous champion has been following the course at the moment’s heavyweights have been charting by the division.
He is seen enhancements in Anthony Joshua.
Since his losses to Usyk, Joshua has introduced in numerous coaching groups and progressively progressed by 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, reside 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 advised 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 may have modified boxing historical past if he’d advised 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 amusing.
“For me this fight was very important. I’m much more quiet and comfortable when I am inside the ring.
“Once I’m exterior within the nook of my brother, I am so nervous. It was a really troublesome combat however it was a really attention-grabbing combat, a really attention-grabbing combat for the entire sports activities neighborhood, 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 reside on Sky Sports activities Field Workplace. E book Joshua v Dubois now!