I Won't Respect Klitschko - Nigeria's Anthony Joshua

UK-based Nigerian fighter, Anthony Joshua is prepared to battle his Ukranian boxing counterpart, Wladimir Klitschko in tomorrow's fight.

Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko

 

Anthony Joshua on Thursday told Wladimir Klitschko that ‘respect goes out the window’ when they step into the ring on Saturday.

 

The bout at a sold out Wembley has been mooted as the biggest fight in British boxing history, with an estimated 90,000 fans cramming into the stadium to watch Joshua’s third defence of his IBF title.

 

The fight will be shown live on Sky Box Office on Saturday night. Interestingly, the vacant WBA ‘super’ belt which was stripped from Tyson Fury following his battle with both depression and drug addiction is also up for grabs on Saturday.

 

Joshua was speaking with Sky Sports during his work-out at Wembley when the Brit said: “Trust me when leather starts landing on your jaw that respect goes out the window. “It is a fight. The best man wins.

 

That is what it comes down to. This is what we do. Wladimir has been doing it for so many years and I have been doing it for so many years.

“I have met opponents that I don’t like and I have met some opponents that I do like but at the end of the day the destination and the goal has always been the same and that is winning.

“Victory is written all over me right now because I feel great, “I feel positive, I feel confident and that is all that matters.” The 27-year-old appeared to be in confident mood as the giant Ukrainian Klitschko watched silently from the other side of the ropes.

 

Klitschko had been given a hostile reception from the Wembley crowd when he was announced by Michael Buffer.

 

However, Klitschko soon won over the 2,000 or so fans by exuding the charm that has been associated with the 41-year-old for much of his career when he took to the mic and told a rumbustious crowd.

 

“I’m delighted to be here. Its 17 years since I last fought in London on a Lennox Lewis under card and I’m thrilled to be back among all of you.”

 

Dr. Steelhammer then did his thing around the ring as is common with these promotional days and promised the crowd that they would be in for an exciting fight come Saturday night.