The wily old campaigner against the hungry young beast… the battle between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium on April 29 has an almost Rocky-like storyline to it.
Can Klitschko produce a performance that would make Sylvester Stallone proud here, or will he be blasted out by the unbeaten Englishman?
The key point, and one that explains the intrigue surrounding this bout, is that there are positives and negatives to both men. Anthony Joshua has fallen foul of one of the great drawbacks of being a young, hungry fighter: nobody really wants to take him on, and those that have simply haven’t been up to the job. The biggest names on Joshua’s resumé – Eric Molina, Dillian White and Dominic Breazeale – aren’t good enough to lace Klitschko’s boots.
We know that AJ is good, very good in fact, but he has yet to be tested. As such, backing him against a proven champion is fraught with risk.
But then we look at Klitschko himself and we see a 40-year-old that will have fought once in two years come April, and in that bout he hardly covered himself in glory when outpointed by Tyson Fury in his adopted German homeland. What was most worrying was that the Ukrainian was unwilling – or perhaps unable – to throw any shots in the latter rounds despite knowing he was behind on the cards.
Whether it was fear or poor conditioning that led to Klitschko’s downfall in Dusseldorf remains to be seen, but it does not bode well for a dust-up with a fighter in peak physical condition.
So we can make a case for either man, really, but who will have their hand raised in the air when the dust settles?
The bookmakers are favouring the younger albeit more inexperienced man: William Hill have made Joshua their 1.44 favourite.
The same bookie has Klitschko to win by any method available at 3.00, with the draw – a seemingly impossible occurrence in modern boxing – at 41.00.
The key factor in this fight will surely prove to be punch resistance. Anthony Joshua has blasted out all eighteen of his previous opponents, with the longest fight he has ever been in lasting just seven rounds. Can the 40-year-old Klitschko resist AJ’s awesome power, or will more than a decade as a top flight heavyweight eventually take their toll on the spirit and the heart of the Ukrainian?
The other concern for Klitschko’s supporters is that he will surely be beaten to the punch by his younger, more fleet footed opponent. The fact he was out-pointed by Fury – an excellent fighter but not the most technically gifted on the world scene – suggests his reactions are slowing with age, and a lengthy period of inactivity is not going to help with that. Going into a scrap with Joshua with ring rust is not a good idea.
Can we offer fans of the underdog any hope? The only thing we can predict is that Klitschko will take AJ into previously unchartered waters, both in terms of punch resistance and in landing a few blows himself. The Ukrainian is a smart fighter and may just find a way to neutralise Joshua’s power while giving himself some opportunities to counter strike, but the truth is he seemed paralysed by fear in his duel with Fury and if there are subconscious doubts plaguing him then tackling a KO artist like the Englishman will once again bring those to the surface.
So, once the early sighters have been despatched, we expect AJ to win by late stoppage; back him to win Rounds 10-12 at 9.00 with bet365.
Anthony Joshua vs Wladimir Klitschko Betting Tips, Predictions, Preview
The wily old campaigner against the hungry young beast… the battle between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium on April 29 has an almost Rocky-like storyline to it.
Can Klitschko produce a performance that would make Sylvester Stallone proud here, or will he be blasted out by the unbeaten Englishman?
The key point, and one that explains the intrigue surrounding this bout, is that there are positives and negatives to both men. Anthony Joshua has fallen foul of one of the great drawbacks of being a young, hungry fighter: nobody really wants to take him on, and those that have simply haven’t been up to the job. The biggest names on Joshua’s resumé – Eric Molina, Dillian White and Dominic Breazeale – aren’t good enough to lace Klitschko’s boots.
Contents
1. Boxing Betting Odds - Klitschko vs Joshua
We know that AJ is good, very good in fact, but he has yet to be tested. As such, backing him against a proven champion is fraught with risk.
But then we look at Klitschko himself and we see a 40-year-old that will have fought once in two years come April, and in that bout he hardly covered himself in glory when outpointed by Tyson Fury in his adopted German homeland. What was most worrying was that the Ukrainian was unwilling – or perhaps unable – to throw any shots in the latter rounds despite knowing he was behind on the cards.
Whether it was fear or poor conditioning that led to Klitschko’s downfall in Dusseldorf remains to be seen, but it does not bode well for a dust-up with a fighter in peak physical condition.
So we can make a case for either man, really, but who will have their hand raised in the air when the dust settles?
The bookmakers are favouring the younger albeit more inexperienced man: William Hill have made Joshua their 1.44 favourite.
The same bookie has Klitschko to win by any method available at 3.00, with the draw – a seemingly impossible occurrence in modern boxing – at 41.00.
2. Joshua v Klitschko Betting Tips
The key factor in this fight will surely prove to be punch resistance. Anthony Joshua has blasted out all eighteen of his previous opponents, with the longest fight he has ever been in lasting just seven rounds. Can the 40-year-old Klitschko resist AJ’s awesome power, or will more than a decade as a top flight heavyweight eventually take their toll on the spirit and the heart of the Ukrainian?
The other concern for Klitschko’s supporters is that he will surely be beaten to the punch by his younger, more fleet footed opponent. The fact he was out-pointed by Fury – an excellent fighter but not the most technically gifted on the world scene – suggests his reactions are slowing with age, and a lengthy period of inactivity is not going to help with that. Going into a scrap with Joshua with ring rust is not a good idea.
Can we offer fans of the underdog any hope? The only thing we can predict is that Klitschko will take AJ into previously unchartered waters, both in terms of punch resistance and in landing a few blows himself. The Ukrainian is a smart fighter and may just find a way to neutralise Joshua’s power while giving himself some opportunities to counter strike, but the truth is he seemed paralysed by fear in his duel with Fury and if there are subconscious doubts plaguing him then tackling a KO artist like the Englishman will once again bring those to the surface.
So, once the early sighters have been despatched, we expect AJ to win by late stoppage; back him to win Rounds 10-12 at 9.00 with bet365.
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