Joshua: Takam Has 'Cement Head,' Will Last at Least 10 Rounds

By Keith Idec

Anthony Joshua expects to extend his knockout streak Saturday night.

The unbeaten British knockout artist still expects a relatively long fight against Cameroon’s Carlos Takam. While confident in his superior power, Joshua realizes Kubrat Pulev’s replacement is a tough opponent who will be able to take a lot of punishment when they fight at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales (Sky Sports Box Office; Showtime).

“He is durable,” Joshua told Sky Sports. “He’ll become more durable because he’ll be in hostile territory. When you come into that type of environment, what have you got to lose? He’ll say, ‘I’ll give it my all.’ ”

A capacity crowd of 75,000 plus is expected Saturday, most of which will assemble to strongly support the United Kingdom’s biggest boxing star. Joshua, the IBF/IBO/WBA heavyweight champion, has knocked out each of his 19 opponents since he turned pro in October 2013.

Takam, who replaced an injured Pulev (25-1, 13 KOs) last week, has been knocked out just once in 39 professional fights. That knockout defeat came in the 10th round against former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (32-1, 23 KOs) three years ago in Moscow.

“People have said, ‘Josh, what round? What round?,’ ” Joshua said regarding when he’ll knock out Takam. “I think we’re going for a 10-to-12-round fight because this guy’s head is like a block of cement.”

The 6-feet-1½, 240-pound Takam is a shorter opponent than each of the last four foes Joshua has faced (6-6 Wladimir Klitschko, 6-4 Eric Molina, 6-7 Dominic Breazeale and 6-5 Charles Martin).

The 36-year-old Takam (35-3-1, 27 KOs) also has lost a 12-round unanimous decision to WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs), who defeated Takam 6½ months before he won the WBO belt in Manukau, New Zealand. The first defeat of Takam’s career was an eight-round unanimous decision to Gregory Tony (then 10-0) in June 2009 in Le Cannet, France.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.