IBF, IBO, WBA WBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs) would like to get advice on a regular basis from former division ruler Wladimir Klitschko.
Klitschko had used Joshua as a sparring partner in the past.
But last April, before a crowd of 90,000 at Wembley in London, the two former sparring partners met in the ring to trade punches in a 'Fight of The Year' encounter.
Joshua dropped Klitschko in the fifth round, with the veteran fighting his way out of danger. Klitschko came roaring back in the sixth drop Joshua and had him in serious trouble. Klitschko took over the contest, before Joshua rallied in the down the stretch to score two more knockdowns in the eleventh round for a TKO win.
A rematch was planned for the fall, but Klitschko changed his mind and made a decision to retire from the sport.
Klitschko was one of the most dominant heavyweights of the last 30 years.
Prior to losing back to back fights to Joshua and Tyson Fury, Klitschko was undefeated for a decade.
Joshua has a lot of respect for Klitschko and the two fighters are always praising each other in the press.
"If [Klitschko] can give me a little bit of his knowledge, I think it will spur me on to do better than I project," Joshua said to Sky Sports.
"I need him on my side, definitely. I have so much respect for him. His brain is like a boxing encyclopedia. I will always look at [Klitschko], even though I beat him, as the better man because he's done more than me.
"Even though I beat him that night, in terms of his overall career, he's done so much. I will always take my hat off to him, and respect him. [Klitschko] was in the era when mistakes were looked at as a way to improve yourself," Joshua said. "He lost [three] times then reigned as heavyweight champion for 10 years.
"That's phenomenal - he must have learned so much. When you fail, then you go again, then you fail, then you go again - he built himself to perfection."
