Joshua vs. Klitschko | Zaterdag, April 29

Live op Showtime^® bij 4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT

From Sold-Out Wembley Stadium in London

“I’ve prepared since day one for this… April 29 is just another stepping stone towards greatness.” – Anthony Joshua

“I’m the challenger again. Ik voel me jong, hongerig, humble and totally obsessed with my goal to raise my hands again.” – Wladimir Klitschko

Klik HIER Voor Foto's; Credit Esther Lin / Showtime

LONDEN (April 27, 2017) – Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko came face-to-face op donderdag at the sprawling Sky Headquarters in London as the two 6-foot-6 giants participated in a final press conference for Zaterdag blockbuster heavyweight world championship event.

SHOWTIME will televise the fight LIVE at 4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT from sold-out Wembley Stadium where a record-setting 90,000 fans are expected to be in attendance.

The 27-year-old Joshua (18-0, 18 KO), who won the IBF belt in just his 16^th professional fight, faces his toughest challenge yet in Klitschko but has “prepared since day one for this” and sees the future Hall of Famer as “just another stepping stone towards greatness.”

The 41-year-old Klitschko (64-4, 54 KO), who has competed in 28 world title fights and is the second longest reigning world champion in history, is “obsessed” with winning back two belts he held during his 11-year reign as heavyweight champion.

Joshua and Klitschko will unify the heavyweight division as they meet for Joshua’s IBF World Championship and the vacant WBA World Championship. The event from Britain’s national stadium will be televised in over 150 countries worldwide.

The ringwalks are set for 4:35 p.m. EN/1:35 p.m. PT with the first bell scheduled for 5 p.m. EN/2 p.m. PT. Showtime Championship Boxing^® pre-fight coverage begins live on SHOWTIME at 4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT with all the grand pre-fight pageantry from London.

Here’s what the fighters had to say op donderdag. Klik HIER to watch Sky Sports coverage of the press conference on the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/0wYEuEAMW94

JOSHUA:

“Even though this is such a great event, I always try to strip it down to what it really is and just focus that it’s just me and this man coming to blows and the best man will win. I’m not only prepared physically but mentally as well for any battle.

"April 29 is just another stepping stone towards greatness.

“Any fight is the right fight. I’ve never shied away from any fight, any opponent. I started boxing in 2008; in 2009, ’10, ‘11 I was in the World Championships, en in 2012 I was representing Great Britain competing to be the best in the world in the Olympics. Het maakt niet uit wie ik vechten. I just enjoy what I do and I just embrace every opportunity.

“I don’t underestimate any opponent. Through my mistakes I have learned and made myself right.”

Voorspelling:

“I win. It’s not complicated. Let’s not overthink it. This isn’t rocket science. This is just a fight. Let’s strip it right back to what it is – a young lion, ferocious, hongerig, very determined. I left no stone unturned in training camp. We do talk about experience, but even when I was fighting guys with lesser experience I was preparing for this. I’ve prepared since day one for this.

“Carrying the belt hasn’t changed me as a person. I just want to represent myself the best way because I know behind me are a million people that walk the same path as me and come from the same background. I think I’m a representation of these people.

“This is another stop. You can’t sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor. As you sit down on your throne there is always someone knocking on your door to take you down. Voor mij, it’s just another stepping stone.”

On potentially celebrating after a win:

“You can’t deny it. This is epic. As much as I’m calm, when I look around and see how pumped people are for this fight it gives me energy, it gives me life. So it would be hard for me to hold myself together after such an amazing event.”

On this being a pivotal moment for the sport of boxing:

"Absoluut, this is 110 percent a pivotal moment for boxing.”

KLITSCHKO:

“Can you imagine my next opponent is going to fight a guy whose age is exactly the number of how long he has been in boxing – 27 jaar? Can you imagine that? It’s a pretty amazing task. Is it a degradation that I’m actually a challenger and underdog in this fight after 27 years in the sport? I don’t think so. I think it’s great.

“I’m the challenger again. Ik voel me jong, hongerig, humble and totally obsessed with my goal to raise my hands again.

“I’m so obsessed with winning. I realized that life is a circle, and I see myself in AJ. I do believe I know how he thinks, how he goes, and how the actual fight is going to be.

“The belts are very important. I’ve been attached to these belts for a very long. I had those belts in my past fight, and I’m fighting for these belts in this fight. The only difference is in my last fight they went to the opposite corner. So my goal and obsession is for those belts to land in my corner, in my hands.

“Obsession is love in extreme shape. I’m in love with my goal.

“Defeat? Ik ben er geweest, I’ve done that. I got up, shook it off and came back stronger. Just a little help (for Joshua) – there’s nothing scary about it.”

Joshua vs. Klitschko | Zaterdag, April 29

Live op Showtime^® bij 4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT

From Sold-Out Wembley Stadium in London

Klik HIER Voor Foto's; Credit Esther Lin / Showtime

LONDEN (April 26, 2017) – Fight Week for deze zaterdag heavyweight world championship blockbuster began in earnest op woensdagwith a Public Workout in front of an excitable pro-Joshua crowd at London’s Wembley Arena, just steps from sold-out Wembley Stadium where undefeated champion Anthony Joshua and long-reigning kingpin Wladimir Klitschko will square off in the most significant heavyweight event in more than a decade.

SHOWTIME will televise the fight LIVE at 4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT from Britain’s national stadium where a record-setting 90,000 fans are expected to be in attendance.

The British sensation Joshua (18-0, 18 KO) and Klitschko (64-4, 54 KO) will unify the heavyweight division as they meet for Joshua’s IBF World Championship and the vacant WBA World Championship.

Undefeated IBF Champion Anthony Joshua hosted a media conference call to give his thoughts op zaterdagen heavyweight blockbuster between him and long-reigning kingpin Wladimir Klitschko live on SHOWTIME^® (4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT) from sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.

The British sensation Joshua (18-0, 18 KO) and Klitschko (64-4, 54 KO) will unify the heavyweight division as they meet for Joshua’s IBF World Championship and the vacant WBA World Championship in front of record-setting 90,000 fans at Britain’s largest stadium.

Here is what Joshua had to say on the call op woensdag:

ANTHONY JOSHUA:

“This is a good era for boxing so I try to live the life. Over the years when I started boxing until now I’ve been at training camp. The whole time I’ve been training it has been pretty beneficial, Ik heb veel geleerd. I’m not a perfect fighter but what I do do, I try to do well. I’m looking forward to the fight.

“If you’re asking about Zaterdag nacht, all roads have led to this and I’ve been training for a long time, I’ve stayed injury free. I’ve ran, I’ve sparred I’ve done my bag work and it comes to a stage in camp when I’m looking for the buy in now and that’s where I’m at really. Geestelijk, I’m excited.”

On how significant this fight is:

“For the sport in general, come on. For what UK-ers are doing supporting boxing globally, it’s massive. I also feel just to sell out the stadium without having to do the traditional entertainment to make a fight it just shows that kids can fight from different backgrounds …Where me and Klitschko are at, we don’t need to be trash talking and we are two half pieces coming together to lay it down on the line. It’s an amazing time for boxing in that sense that it’s mainstream. I’m not going to say win-or-lose, because the focus is to win, but it’s a massive benefit to Klitschko win-or-lose. Either he has another fight in him, or this time he’s done. I wish him all the best. I’m glad we got through training camp and we actually make it happen because as long as my heart was beating I still want to fight. I’m happy to be involved in such a mega showdown.”

Do you feel there is more pressure on you?

“Definitely not. I knew the significance of this fight before I took it. So I would never put that pressure upon myself if I didn’t want to deal with this pressure. I would have taken another route. But I want to fight guys in the division who are good. I don’t want to wait like eight years, nine years, six years before I start making a move on the heavyweight division – let’s get it on now. So if this is what comes with stepping up a level and a division I’m all for it. I’m not going to start saying ‘because I’m champion I’ve got pressure and I don’t think I’m going to perform.’ For me as a champion I don’t feel that pressure but I can relate to where he is coming from. As a champion you’re supposed to throw down like there’s no morgen so I’m not going to say because I’m a champion I’ve got so much pressure on my hands.”

How do you bridge the experience gap between you and Klitschko?

“I think it’s just destiny. I’m meant for this. I’m built for this. Let’s say we strip away what you just said, the excitement, the hype and just put us together. Go at it for 12 rondes, get down and dirty. I have the ability to come out on top and that’s how I take it. I don’t look at it like, ‘Oh my God, I’m fighting a guy who has been through it’, I don’t look at it that way. I just look at it as ‘I’m going to fight this guy called Wladimir Klitschko’ and we’ve got 12 rondes. I simplify it.

I practice boxing. Long range jab, jab to the body. I think I’m very capable of hitting someone continuously until they break down. So I think I’ll keep on plugging away, ronde 6, 7 and I should have him in a bad place. I just have to take the fight and break it down round by round.”

How will to deal with Kitschko’s reach:

“I’ve never fought him so I can’t say for sure. But what will I do about his reach? I’ve got my right hand to parry a jab, I’ve got my left hand to shield and protect me, to deflect his right hand. It’s no problem if he wants to grab. I can whip in a body shot and that would definitely slow him down. If you keep getting hit to the body at 41 that will take the fight out of anyone. On the outside I have got ways to deal with the majority of his shots. On the inside I just have to keep on swinging to the body and round-by-round I’ll start seeing an effect.”

What motivated him to take such a significant fight so early in his career:

“It was bound to happen. I felt the division needed it. I’m not doing it just for myself. I’m always about the industry. A lot of my friends from the amateur system have a chance to express their skill on the undercard, and it’s a massive platform. Ik denk, as I said, the division needed it … Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, let’s keep it going. Let’s start mixing it up because we’re in the same division, and it’s our era. What type of era are we if we don’t come together and have some trilogies and bring some excitement. So I’m all for it and that’s why I really wanted to take the fight.”

When was the first time you saw Klitschko and thought you could fight him?

“Not until last year. In 2015 I wasn’t really focusing on fighting Klitschko. I was moving towards maybe after [Eric] Molina we could have done [Kubrat] Pulev as a mandatory and gone that route of dominating the European market, but the opportunity came up. Het is een grote strijd, it’s a good challenge and let’s get it cracking. Zoals ik zei, it’s good for the division and the attention it has brought is phenomenal. I think it benefits everyone so let’s be a part of that, and let’s be at the forefront of this.”

On earning more money than Floyd Mayweather Jr.?

“Not in boxing. I don’t think I could do it in boxing. Outside, if I make the right investments I think I can because I have some highly intelligent people around me but I think in boxing I don’t think I will but I think there will be a boxer who can because Floyd Mayweather has definitely set the benchmark, and records are only there to be broken. So I think someone could definitely achieve that financial status. But for me, that’s not so much my goal to try to be richer than Floyd Mayweather. The heavyweight division is so different from the welterweight division in the sense that all it takes is one shot, it’s a lot tougher, a lot more wear and tear on the body so I think it’ll be interesting. I definitely think we’ll make money, there’s no doubt about that but I’m not trying to put myself on the same pedestal as Mayweather.”

When do you think Klitschko was at his best?

“When he fought Marius Beck. He was a bit of a bigger guy and he controlled him with the jab and the one-twos. Remember he went twelve rounds. So he had to control a bigger man who was potentially heavier and stronger and he controlled his boxing skill and I think that’s when he was at his best. As I studied him that’s when I saw him at his best so I have watched fights around that era.”

Do you feel it’s a miracle you’re here?

"Ja. I was talking about it with my coach today. If you would have told me – I’ve only been in boxing eight or nine years – if you would have told me eight years ago, ‘Listen son, if you walk through that door into the boxing gym you’ll do this, dit, dit, this and this’ I would have been like ‘yeah, right’. It’s been phenomenal and why we do all the promotional stuff and get involved in big fights is for motivational purposes. I know there’s some other kids that are going to come up and be phenomenal because he may have seen myself and my journey and wants to get involved in what we’re creating. I’m all for that. Ik hou ervan. Today was my last day of training camp and I’m thinking now what am I going to do in my next training camp, how am I going to improve. I’m enjoying the journey. It has been fun, boxing is a good sport.”

What is your history in sparring with Klitschko?

“I’m not a gym fighter so I did not go to try to prove anything with the sparring. I mainly went to go to see how a champion sets up his training camp. While I was sparring, it was good. Wladimir is technical. He will try to maneuver you with his lever hand to put you in a position to throw his right hand. That’s what I got from Klitschko. He is patient, he was just trying to set me up so he could throw his shots and I was just working on moving, jabbing to the body, jabbing to the head and I would go back to the corner and Andy Breshear would say ‘stick it on the champ’ and I would say ‘no I’m not here for that, I’m not here to prove anything.’ I wanted to watch, I wanted to analyze. That’s what I got from sparring with him. To learn how he operates in the ring and I learned how a champion sets up training camp.”

On the strength of Klitschko’s chin:

“He’s got a good chin. How long has he reigned, 10 jaar? Ja, he’s got a good chin. You can’t be a championship fighter for 10 years if you have a bad chin. That’s the thing about the heavyweight division, it takes one shot. All these fighters that we claim have got good chins are the ones who get knocked out by Wladimir, so he must be doing something right. I remember Samuel Peters had a granite chin but they still end up getting knocked out down the line and they don’t go on to do great things. Zo, regardless of the chin, I think he’s got something right that works.”

Opinion of Klitschko’s Career:

“He is underrated. Heavyweight boxing comes with bigger prize money, more attention. To stay that disciplined for that long is a serious task. He and his brother have done well to reign for that long … I would want to go down as one of the greatest because I reigned for so long. No one could beat me for the last 10 jaar. It’s a good achievement and I would want to be recognized for that achievement.”

On potentially fighting in America:

“I think just fight Wilder, Gerald Washington, [Bryant] Jeninngs as well. These are the hotshots in America right now. I’ve made sure I fought some Americans on my way up so we could get a buzz out there. But I think I have to come out there for a fight for sure that’s important.

“America is the mecca of boxing. If we can cross over into the states and keep the fan base in the UK I think we’ve cracked it. That’s mega stuff, that’s global boxing. You’ve got a big guy, heavyweight with a name that’s easy to pronounce and speaks English well. I can relate to the U.S. market. All I have to do is get out there show them what my trade is and hopefully they’ll appreciate it and hopefully we can start talking about setting up major fights and bringing the same attention in the UK to the U.S. That would be phenomenal.”

How much of a concern is Klitschko’s holding?

“The holding is natural. But what do you do when someone is holding? How do you fight them off? You bring in the upper cut, you whip in a right hand to the body until the ref tells you to break. It’s a fight so I can’t prevent the holding but it makes it interesting to see what fighter does when they’re being held. When I’m being held I’m just going to throw the right hand to the body, left hook to the body and that will start taking the wind out of Klitschko.”

On Klitschko’s last fight against a British fighter David Haye:

“I think my fights will be entertaining. It is important for me to be entertaining. It’s not only winning, but it’s about how you win. I’ve always tried to go in there and perform to that level. It would be sweet to go in there and knock Wladimir out, because that’s what heavyweight boxing is about. So that would be sweet. I’m not into the 12-round boxing.

“David Haye was up against it because you had Klitschko, who was a champion. Emanuel Steward, who trained the champion. Then you had David Haye, who wasn’t a champion and Adam Booth, who wasn’t a heavyweight championship trainer. He was up against it and he found it tough. It just showed that the bigger, stronger man would win. He just got the job done and that’s what led him to here. He got the win and I’m happy or we wouldn’t be here right now.”

# # #

American Premium Television Giants SHOWTIME and HBO To Produce Separate Telecasts on Zaterdag, April 29 From London’s Wembley Stadium

SHOWTIME Live at 4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT;

HBO Telecast in Primetime at approx. 10:45 p.m. EN/PT

Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

LONDEN (April 17, 2017) – Matchroom Sport, Klitschko Management Group (KMG) and K2 Promotions have reached agreement with U.S. premium television giants Showtime and HBO to televise the most significant heavyweight world championship match in more than a decade. Op Zaterdag, April 29, IBF Heavyweight World Champion Anthony Joshua will face former unified world champion Wladimir Klitschko from a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.

Showtime is the exclusive U.S. television partner of Joshua, while HBO has an exclusive agreement with Klitschko in the States. Each premium network will produce its own separate telecast of the main event match for the U.S. publiek. SHOWTIME will televise its SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING presentation wonen bij 4:15 p.m. EN/1:15 p.m. PT, while HBO will televise its WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING production bij ongeveer 10:45 p.m. EN/PT.

Joshua (18-0, 18 KO) and Klitschko (64-4, 53 KO) will meet for Joshua’s IBF World Championship and the vacant IBO and WBA World Championships. The British sensation Joshua has knocked out all 18 of his professional opponents in a meteoric rise to stardom, while the long-reigning world champion from Ukraine, Klitschko, aims to win back titles he previously held in his 11-year rule as heavyweight world champion. Joshua vs. Klitschko is promoted by Matchroom Boxing, KMG and K2 Promotions and has officially sold out Wembley Stadium with a record-setting 90,000 tickets sold.

“I’m extremely happy and thankful that our respective U.S. TV partners Showtime and HBO reached an agreement,” said Bernd Boente, Managing Director of Klitschko Management Group. “This happened before in the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and the Lewis vs. Tyson fights and shows you the magnitude of our event at Wembley Stadium on April 29.”

“I’m delighted to announce this historic deal that will see Britain’s biggest ever fight shown on both HBO and SHOWTIME in the U.S.,” said Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport. “It takes a special fight to break down barriers and boundaries but also networks and executives who believe in working with the best interest of fight fans in mind. With the obstacles in place it would have been any easy resolution to not air the fight in the States but I want to thank HBO and Showtime for their perseverance and allowing America to see one hell of a fight at our national stadium in front on 90,000 passionate fans. Joshua vs. Klitschko is a fight for the ages and we look forward to the show!”

“We are thrilled to be delivering Joshua vs. Klitschko to the U.S. audience live on SHOWTIME,"Zei Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Showtime Sport. “On the afternoon of April 29, U.S. sports fans will be able to tune in to SHOWTIME to join a record-breaking crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium and a worldwide television audience in witnessing an event that represents not only the contesting of the heavyweight world championship, but potentially the changing of the guard in the most influential division in boxing. We are proud to be Anthony Joshua’s exclusive U.S. television partner as he attempts to establish his legacy against the legendary Wladimir Klitschko, live on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, as Showtime continues its unrivaled commitment to the sport.”

Said Peter Nelson, executive vice president, HBO Sport: “Both promoters and both networks have found a solution that enables boxing fans in the U.S. to watch the world heavyweight championship. This agreement ensures that our subscribers have access to same-day primetime coverage of the fight. It will mark Wladimir Klitschko’s 22nd appearance on HBO and the first for Anthony Joshua.”

The 27-year-old Joshua has been perfect since turning professional shortly after winning Gold at the 2012 Olympics for Great Britain. Joshua, of Watford, Engeland, won the IBF Heavyweight World Championship with a second-round knockout of defending champion Charles Martin in April 2016, earning a heavyweight belt in the fewest number of fights in more than 20 jaar. He has since successfully defended the title twice—against Dominic Breazeale in June and Eric Molina in December.

Joshua is just the sixth Olympic Gold Medalist at super heavyweight to go on to win a professional heavyweight world title, joining Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Alexander Povetkin and his rival on April 29, Wladimir Klitschko.

HBO has been the long-time home of Klitschko’s professional boxing career in the States. The 41-year-old has been a kingpin in the heavyweight division since winning Gold at the 1996 Olympische Spelen. He turned pro shortly after the Atlanta games and ran an undefeated campaign for 24 fights before suffering his first defeat to experienced veteran Ross Puritty. Klitschko quickly rebounded by winning 10 in a row and captured his first world title (WBO) with a unanimous decision victory over Chris Byrd in 2000, a win which avenged a loss by his brother, Vitali, earlier that year.

Klitschko’s most recent reign at heavyweight began in 2006 when he captured the IBF and IBO belts via knockout in a rematch against Chris Byrd. He went on to make 17 consecutive defenses of the IBF and IBO crowns, 13 consecutive defenses of the WBO belt, and eight consecutive defenses of the WBA title. Onderweg, he amassed victories over Sultan Ibragimov, Hasim Rahman, Ruslan Chagaev, David Haye, Samuel Peter, Alexander Povetkin, Kubrat Pulev and more. In total he has fought in 28 total world title fights – a unique record in the history of the heavyweight division – vergeleken met slechts 18 total professional fights for Anthony Joshua. He was the longest reigning world champion (2006-2015) after Joe Louis.

This will be Klitschko’s first outing since losing the IBF, IBO, WBA and WBO titles to Tyson Fury in 2015, his first defeat in 11 jaar.