Joshua says he has to be a killer in Klitschko fight

By Boxing News - 02/17/2017 - Comments

Image: Joshua says he has to be a killer in Klitschko fight

By Scott Gilfoid: IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is talking tough ahead of his title defense against former unified champion Wladimir Klitschko on April 29. Joshua is saying that he needs to be a “killer” and he has to be “off the leash” when he gets inside the ring with the 41-year-old Klitschko in their fight at the Wembley Stadium in London, England.

It almost sounds like the 27-year-old Joshua is going to try and bum rush Klitschko the same way he did Dillian Whyte in their fight in 2015. If that’s the case, I think Wladimir has a decent chance of knocking Joshua out cold.

If Joshua walks into one of Wladimir’s left hooks, it doesn’t matter how much body building muscle he’s carrying around, he’s going to get knocked out. Joshua’s punch resistance hasn’t improved since he packed out 20 pounds of muscle after turning pro in 2013. Joshua still seems to be the same fighter that was knocked out by Mihai Nistor in 2011.

The only difference is Joshua has faced a bunch of mediocre heavyweights with dreadful boxing skills, little courage, and not much power. The only guy that actually tried to fight Joshua is Whyte, but he came into the fight with a bad left shoulder injury. He was fighting with one arm for all intents and purposes.

“Come the night I have to be a killer,” said Joshua via skysports.com. “If you are not a killer in this game, you get eaten alive I’m like a tamed animal – until I’m let off the leash in the ring,” said Joshua.

I think Joshua is going to get knocked out sooner or later by someone. It might not be against Wladimir, because he’s pretty timid, and will likely do little more than hold and run around the ring on April 29. Wladimir just does not seem to have much heart for the fighting. His punch accuracy has gone south in the last three years, and he no longer throws power punches. Wladimir mostly just jabs and grabs. It’ll be interesting to see if the referee working the fight takes points off from Wladimir and then disqualifies him for excessive holding. I can just see 90,000 angry fans screaming at the referee if he disqualifies Klitschko for holding.

Honestly, the Joshua vs. Klitschko fight is going to be such a big event with the fans and the fight being televised on Sky Box Office pay-per-view. I don’t see the referee willing to stick his neck out by disqualifying Klitschko for nonstop holding. I wouldn’t be surprised if Wladimir clinches Joshua 10+ times per round. All that clinching and leaning that Klitschko will likely be doing may end up tiring Joshua out. You have to remember that Joshua has got all those muscles. His body isn’t really designed for wrestling and mauling. I think Wladimir could tire Joshua out if he uses a lot of holding in the fight.

“I look at what Wladimir has done in the last 14 years,” said Joshua. “He can’t go on another 14 years. But I can. That is my pathway to reigning as the heavyweight champion for a long time.”

Nah, I do not agree with Joshua about him being able to stay at the top of the heavyweight division for 14 years. Wladimir wasn’t at the top for 14 years. He was a champion for around 9 years, but not 14. But you have to understand that Wladimir wasn’t always fighting the very best heavyweights. He never fought Mike Tyson, and he never fought Lennox Lewis.

Those guys were still around when Wladimir was starting out with his career. Wladimir never fought Corrie Sanders in a rematch after losing to him in 2003. The same goes for Wladimir not fighting a rematch with Ross Puritty after being knocked out by him in 1998.

What I see happening with Joshua is him suffering a lot of muscle injuries that will keep him out of action after he hits his 30s. The injuries combined with Joshua’s aggressive fighting style will lead to him losing his title, and ending up as a contender. However, with the heavyweight division being watered down with tons of titles, Joshua will probably pick one up and still be a champion, but not the champion.

I think Joshua will stay on top until he’s around 32. That’s when I see the injuries starting for him. Deontay Wilder will have a very good chance of beating Joshua due to his hand speed, size and punching power advantage. Joshua will make it easier for Deontay to beat him by hi rushing forward and getting nailed by one of his big right hands.

“Wladimir is a great champion but my legacy is beginning,” said Joshua. “I admire his experience but basically I believe this is a young man’s sport.”

Boxing is definitely a young man’s sport, but there are some fighters that are able to hang on for a while and still be a world champion. Wladimir did a good job of lasting as long as he has. If he had a better chin and if he were more fearless, then he would have beaten Tyson Fury in their fight in 2015.

Wladimir’s brother Vitali Klitschko likely would have destroyed Fury if he had been the one fighting him, because Vitali would have taken chances by throwing punches. He wouldn’t have cared if Fury hit him with some slapping shots if he missed a punch here and there. Vitali would have kept bombing Fury with right hands until he toppled. The mentality of Vitali was much different than Wladimir. If Wladimir had Vitali’s chin and aggressiveness, then Joshua would be in big trouble on April 29, because he would have to take Wladimir’s big power shots for 12 rounds for him to win, and I think Joshua could handle his power if he let his hands go. An aggressive Wladimir would be a nightmare for Joshua.

It might be another Joshua vs. Nistor fight. Nistor fought Joshua like Vitali would have by him bouncing power shots off of Joshua’s head repeatedly until he was staggering around the ring in the 3rd round. The referee had no choice but to halt the fight due to Joshua swaying back and forth after Nistor nailed him with a big left hand to the head.

If Wladimir is smart, he’ll take advantage of Joshua’s youth and the harebrained idea he has that he needs to come out with the killer instinct. If Wladimir can load up on one of his left hooks and unleash it as Joshua charges him, he could knock him out cold. Wladimir’s left hook is still very good. His problem is he’s too timid to throw it.