Vitali Klitschko: Nobody can beat Wladimir when he’s focused

By Boxing News - 02/23/2017 - Comments

Image: Vitali Klitschko: Nobody can beat Wladimir when he’s focused

By Scott Gilfoid: The April 29 fight between heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko has failed to catch on with the boxing public compared to fights in the past. Wladimir’s brother former WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko is confident that Wladimir can beat Joshua or any heavyweight in the division if he’s focused.

Vitali says Wladimir lost his last fight to Tyson Fury because he wasn’t focused in that fight. Vitali is probably right. Wladimir looked like he was in a trance when Vitali and trainer Jonathon Banks were trying to give him instructions in between rounds how to turn things around against Fury.

The stuff that Vitali and Banks were telling Wladimir was going in one ear and out the other. Wladimir wasn’t following what they were telling him, and it was real simple stuff. They wanted Wladimir to throw punches – any punches, but he wouldn’t do it. Vitali might be right about Wladimir not being focused. I think Wladimir didn’t have the nerve or the punch accuracy to carry out what was being asked of him.

The fight may be a big ticket-seller in the UK, but it’s failed to attract a lot of interest in the U.S judging by how little is talked about the fight in the Internet boxing forums and on social media. We’ve got two nice guys in Joshua and Klitschko, and neither of them are doing a whole lot to sell their upcoming fight. It’s a fight that is almost impossible to get excited about right now given that Wladimir hasn’t fought in 2 years, and he looked plain awful in losing the last time he fought against the slapping Tyson Fury.

I would favor Wladimir’s brother 45-year-old Vitali Klitschko over Fury without a tune-up if the two of them were to make a comeback. Wladimir didn’t win because he couldn’t throw punches, and when he did throw them, he would miss by a country mile much of the time.

Joshua, 27, has a lot to learn from his fellow countryman David Haye, Dillian Whyte, Fury and Dereck Chisora in how to sell a fight. All of them are far better at getting the boxing fans interested in their fights by talking themselves up nonstop. Joshua doesn’t have that ability or least he hasn’t learned it yet. I hate to say it but unless Joshua uses one of those guys as a mentor or gets a good PR guy to help mold his image, I don’t see him ever becoming a huge star It’s going to be bad when Joshua starts losing his skills or when the other fighters solve how to beat him. The blueprint in is already there in how to beat Joshua. It was created by Mihai Nistor in 2011, and followed closely by Roberto Cammarelle, Ivan Dychko and Erislandy Savon. All you do is stay on the outside and come forward with some head movement and then nail Joshua with one or two punches and then get to the outside.

Once Joshua starts losing fights, he’s going to need some personality to try and attract interest in his fights.

“If he’s mostly focused, nobody can beat him,” said Vitali Klitschko about his brother Wladimir to Fighthub.com. “His biggest problem is he’s not always 100 percent focused as it was the last time with Fury. I know Wladimir has good technique and great condition and good punch. But his weakness is Wladimir Klitschko is not focused. He’ll have a problem,” said Vitali.

When asked what his thoughts are on Joshua, Vitali said, “Young, strong, hungry. He’s very good and he has a good future. Right now, he has to prove himself with his skills with my brother,” said Vitali about Joshua.

“It’s top secret,” said Vitali when questioned about what he feels Wladimir needs to do to beat Joshua. I don’t explain it to anyone.”

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