Anthony Joshua: I Think I Will Knock Wladimir Klitschko Out!

By Edward Chaykovsky

The fight is only a few short weeks away. The future of the heavyweight division will be decided on April 29th, before a crowd of 90,000 fans at Wembley, when Olympic champions Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko collide for the IBF, WBA, IBO world titles.

Since turning pro, Joshua has knocked out all 18 of his opponents in seven rounds or less. Only Dillian Whyte and Dominic Breazeale were able to last to the seventh round.

Klitschko, even at 41-years-old and coming back from a long stint of inactivity, is the most dangerous opponent of Joshua's career.

Klitschko's last fight took place in November 2015, when he lost a shocking twelve round unanimous decision to Tyson Fury in a major upset. There was a rematch clause that Klitschko exercised, but Fury withdrew from two scheduled rematch dates and eventually vacated his WBA, WBO, IBO world titles to focus on his mental health issues.

Klitschko has been stopped three times in his career, but the loss to Fury was his first defeat in over ten years. He's become very good with defense and protecting his chin, and uses his stiff jab to control opponents. In one of the very rare occasions in his long career, Klitschko is viewed by most as the underdog.

Joshua does not expect the outcome to be easy, but he's confident that at some point in the fight he will have the opening to close the show.

"I think I will knock Klitschko out," Joshua tells GQ. "I'm not superstitious about it, but I have a feeling that it will happen in a slightly unexpected way. It will be something like a counterpunch that will finish it. It won't be quick... It will take time because he is so experienced and he isn't easy to hit. But I will find my opportunity and I will take it."