29th April, 2017
Around 90,000 people will pack into Wembley Stadium on Saturday to see IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua attempt to add the vacant WBA belt to his collection when he faces the division’s once dominant force Wladimir Klitschko.
A 14-year age gap between the 27-year-old Briton and a fighter he once assisted as a sparring partner means some pundits have styled the bout as apprentice meets master.
But it’s Joshua who starts as odds-on favourite. Does he justify that status? BBC Sport asked some familiar faces from the world of boxing about how they see things shaping up and, of course, we want your verdict too.
Lennox Lewis, the last man to be undisputed heavyweight champion, told BBC Radio 5 live: “Now is the perfect time for Joshua, because Wladimir Klitschko has a chink in his armour in getting beaten by Tyson Fury.
“With the age aspect of Klitschko, he doesn’t have the legs, the power that he used to. There are a lot of different factors going on in his life as well.
“I believe Joshua is more focused. Does he want to be undisputed champion? Absolutely.”
Former world super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall: “Klitschko controls the fight better when people are going to him. He’s a master at adjusting his feet and keeping a gap, an absolute master.
“I think the victory for Joshua will come by boxing at a distance and making Klitschko come forward.
“I see Joshua winning the fight in the mid to late rounds, around the seventh or eighth. I think Joshua will stop him eventually and catch him with a solid shot.
“At 41, you have to ask how long Klitschko can go on at this level. It will take a hell of a performance to beat Joshua, who I don’t think will come out swinging, but will box intelligently. If he goes wading in, he could walk in to a trap.”
Former super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch, who beat George Groves at Wembley Stadium in 2014: “This is Joshua’s first real test at world level. This is his acid test and against a veteran who can punch, box and move to survive when he needs to.
“I think Joshua will be nervous. Wembley Stadium will add to those nerves and I don’t think they will help him. I don’t think he will enjoy it like I did. Purely because there is a lot of pressure on him – he’s expected to win and has this massive task.
“He needs to try and enjoy it. They say cometh the hour cometh the man. He really needs to switch on and live up to what everyone expects of him.”