Tag Archives: Wladimir Klitschko

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FNU Combat Sports Show: Joshua vs. Klitschko Recap, Anderson Silva Threatens UFC Retirement

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The FNU Combat Sports show concentrates heavily on boxing this week with the big heavyweight bout between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko to review and discuss first. Then we move on to preview Cinco De Mayo weekend in The Sweet Science, which is headlined by a Saturday night fight between Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez Junior. Additionally, we discuss some additions to UFC 213, Anderson Silva’s retirement threat, the creation of a women’s featherweight division in the UFC for the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, and the viral video featuring the demolition of a Tai Chi “Master” by an MMA fighter. Listen to the broadcast below.

 

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ANTHONY JOSHUA KNOCKS OUT WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO TO BECOME UNIFIED HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION SATURDAY ON SHOWTIME®

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Joshua Overcomes First Professional Knockdown To Score 11th Round TKO In Front Of Record Crowd At London’s Wembley Stadium

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Click HERE For Photos; Credit Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

LONDON (April 29, 2017) – Anthony Joshua was crowed the king of the heavyweight division Saturday live on SHOWTIME as he unified the division with an 11th round TKO of long-reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko before a record 90,000 fans at London’s Wembley Stadium.

 

Joshua, who remains a perfect 19-0 with 19 knockouts, overcame the first knockdown of his career to successfully defend his IBF belt and pick up the vacant WBA title.

 

Joshua knocked Klitschko down once in the fifth and twice in the 11th before referee David Fields stepped in to protect the defenseless former champion at 2:25 of the penultimate round.

 

“I’m not perfect but I’m trying,” Joshua said.  “I got a bit emotional because I know I have doubters.  I’m only going to improve.  Sometimes you can be a phenomenal boxer, but boxing is about character.  When you go into the trenches that’s when you find out who you really are.

 

“I came out and I won – that’s how far I had to dig.  I came back and I fought my heart out.”

 

“As boxing states you leave your ego at the door and you respect your opponent.  A massive shout out to Wladimir Klitschko for taking the fight.  I don’t want to say too much because I don’t know if he wants to come back and fight me.  He’s a role model in and out of the ring.”

 

After the fight, Joshua called out former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who dethroned Klitschko in 2015 but was subsequently forced to vacate his belts due to a number of issues outside the ring.

 

“Tyson Fury where you at, baby,” Joshua said.  “Come on – that’s what they want to see.  I just want to fight everyone.  I’m really enjoying this right now.”

 

Klitschko floored Joshua in the sixth and was up on Steve Weisfeld’s scorecard at the time of the stoppage 95-93. The other two judges – Don Trella and Nelson Vazquez – had Joshua up 96-93 and 95-93, respectively.

 

“The best man won tonight and it’s an amazing moment for boxing.  Anthony was better today than I.  It’s really sad that I didn’t make it tonight.  I was planning to do it.  It didn’t work, but all the respect to Anthony.

 

“Of course we have a rematch in the contract.  I need to analyze and see what the heck happened.  I wish I could have raised my hands, but congrats to him.  He got up, he fought back and he won the titles.”

 

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HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BLOCKBUSTER EVENT: ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO FINAL PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES & PHOTOS

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Joshua vs. Klitschko | Saturday, April 29

LIVE on SHOWTIME® at 4:15 p.m. ET/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.  I feel young, hungry, humble and totally obsessed with my goal to raise my hands again.” – Wladimir Klitschko

 

Click HERE For Photos; Credit Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

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

 

SHOWTIME will televise the fight LIVE at 4:15 p.m. ET/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 KOs), who won the IBF belt in just his 16th 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 KOs), 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. ET/1:35 p.m. PT with the first bell scheduled for 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.  SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® pre-fight coverage begins live on SHOWTIME at 4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT with all the grand pre-fight pageantry from London.

 

Here’s what the fighters had to say on Thursday.  Click HERE 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, and in 2012 I was representing Great Britain competing to be the best in the world in the Olympics.  It doesn’t matter who I fight.  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.”

 

Prediction:

“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, hungry, 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.  For me, 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:

“Absolutely, 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 years?  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.  I feel young, hungry, 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?  I’ve been there, 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.”

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FNU Combat Sports Show: “Raging” Al Goes Off on Dana White, Klitschko vs. Joshua Preview & Event Recaps

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It’s an early installment of the FNU Combat Sports Show this week since Co-host “Tornado” Tony Penecale will be busy in his role as the Phillies Superphan tomorrow night at the NFL Draft. We discuss “Raging” Al Iaquinta’s tirade against the UFC and Dana White, recap Bellator 178 and UFC Fight Night 108, and preview the big heavyweight boxing match between Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua on Saturday. We also discuss the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter and last week’s boxing events.

 

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HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BLOCKBUSTER EVENT: ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO PUBLIC WORKOUT PHOTOS

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Joshua vs. Klitschko | Saturday, April 29

LIVE on SHOWTIME® at 4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT

From Sold-Out Wembley Stadium in London

 

Click HERE For Photos; Credit Esther Lin/SHOWTIME

 

LONDON (April 26, 2017) – Fight Week for this Saturday’s heavyweight world championship blockbuster began in earnest on Wednesdaywith 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. ET/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 KOs) and Klitschko (64-4, 54 KOs) will unify the heavyweight division as they meet for Joshua’s IBF World Championship and the vacant WBA World Championship.

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IBF HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION ANTHONY JOSHUA MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT IN ADVANCE OF SATURDAY’S BLOCKBUSTER FIGHT ON SHOWTIME

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

 

The British sensation Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) and Klitschko (64-4, 54 KOs) 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 on Wednesday:

 

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, I’ve learned a lot. 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 Saturday night, 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.  Mentally, 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 tomorrow 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 rounds, 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 rounds.  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, round 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. I think, 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.  It’s a big fight, it’s a good challenge and let’s get it cracking. As I said, 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?

“Yes.  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, this, this, 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. I love it. 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 years? Yeah, 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. So, 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 years. 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.”

 

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WBC HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION DEONTAY WILDER MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL HIGHLIGHTS IN ADVANCE OF ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

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American Heavyweight World Champion Deontay Wilder hosted a media conference call to give his thoughts on Saturday’s heavyweight blockbuster between undefeated IBF Champion Anthony Joshua and long-reigning kingpin Wladimir Klitschko live on SHOWTIME® (4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT) from sold-out Wembley Stadium in London.

 

Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs), who won his WBC belt in January 2015 on SHOWTIME and has since made five defenses, will serve as an analyst for Sky Sports Box Office for Joshua vs. Klitschko. 

 

The British sensation Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) and Klitschko (64-4, 54 KOs) 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 Wilder had to say on the call on Monday:

 

DEONTAY WILDER:

“I love this fight for these guys.  I love it for the sport of boxing. The fans seem to be well in-tune with it and I think this is a super fight for the heavyweight division.

 

“I can’t wait for it.  I can’t wait to see what happens and hopefully those guys go in healthy and come out the same way. This is a very dangerous sport, especially when you’re trying to perform and put on a show.”

 

On what Wilder sees as vulnerabilities in Joshua…

“There’s a lot of flaws that Joshua has, but Joshua is still young in the game as well.  A lot of people look at Joshua and they’re going off of his physique and they’re going off of the hype that their countryman has brought to them.

 

“If you really look deep down and soul search and look at his resume, with all of the guys he’s fought … that sometimes makes a person look busier than what he is.  There’s a lot of flaws in all of us though, to be honest.  Nobody will ever be perfect in the ring.  We only try to be our best and that’s the only thing you should go off of.

 

“I am looking forward to this fight and I can’t wait. I want Klitschko to come in and fight.  You can always be hyped for a big fight but it’s all going to boil down to what fighter is going to bring what to the fight.  I think he’s ready and he’s going to show a lot of things. He’s going to teach Joshua a lot of different things in the ring, as well, and we’ll see if Joshua has any flaws or not.”

 

On potentially fighting the winner later this year…

“Hopefully.  There are a lot of people that are involved in this.  If it were just solely up to me then I’d be 1,000 percent confident, but it’s not just me.  That’s what the fans want.  I’ve been wanting to give the fans what they want my entire career.  Unfortunately, I am one of those fighters that’s always getting the short end of the stick.  I only can work with what I can work with.

 

“I am very confident that I am the best in this division.  I am very confident that I will unify this division.  I am very confident that I will retire on top, undefeated as well.  I’m just waiting for my moment.  I’ve been sitting patiently all of this time, even in the start of my career and I’m sitting patient now.  I’m just looking forward to my turn.”

 

On why it’s important for him to be ringside in London…

“When you have guys that are competing against each other at the top, it’s only right for me to be there.  I’m not just going out there to be on Sky Sports, I am for sure going there to scout.  All the other heavyweights come to my fights.  They’re not just there to be a fan.  They’re there to scout and look for different openings and certain signs.

 

“I am definitely going over to scout.  And maybe we can make a mega-unification bout.

 

“I want to go get [Joseph] Parker.  Parker doesn’t have an opponent right now.  I’m fresh.  I’m ready and what would be better than me and Parker fighting for the unification and then have another unification where winner takes all at the end of the year?  Then, 2018 you can start off the year with nothing but mandatories.

 

“The heavyweight division is getting exciting.  This is the heavyweight division, and we’re already coming out of that dark place and we finally got light.  Don’t take it back.  Don’t go backwards when we’re moving so freshly forward.  With that, I want to move it more forward.  I want to give the fans what they want, and they want a unification. They want one champion and I’m trying to make that happen. So here I am Joseph Parker.”

 

On breaking down Joshua-Klitschko…

“With Klitschko I definitely feel that the teachings of Emanuel Steward are lacking a little bit, but he’s not to blame.  Steward was a very, very smart trainer.  The things that he could see and the things that he can get in the heads of the fighters, that was unbelievable. He wasn’t a great trainer for no reason and that’s when I thought Klitschko was the best when he had Emanuel in his corner.  Not only when he’s inside of the ring but when he’s on the outside too.  Now, I just feel since he’s gone, it’s more about what Wladimir wants to do, not what his trainers see.

 

“With Joshua, he’s got the height and he’s got the power.  In the heavyweight division, you don’t need skills.  As long as you have the power, that’s what makes up the heavyweight division.  You’re in the game once you’ve got that power….They’re going to have to play a forward fight to feel a little bit of each other out.

 

“If Joshua wants to be successful, he’s definitely going to have to move and take angles and be smart with Klitschko.  Because Klitschko is very smart, he’s been around the block, he’s got an excellent jab, and he’s going to set Joshua up.  His smartness is going to play in a lot.

 

“Joshua is not as flexible.  I don’t think he’s super athletic and doesn’t have that much coordination because of the stiffness.  But he definitely has a great shot in this fight and I’d love to see what happens, and hopefully everything comes through with having a mega-fight at the end of the year.”

 

On Klitschko’s loss to Fury…

“Klitschko didn’t lose by not being able to compete with Tyson Fury, or do the things he had to do.  He lost because he didn’t throw no damn punches.  I want him to fight in this fight.  I don’t want him to hold back, because Fury was bigger than him or this and that.  Forget all of that.  You got to go in there and fight.  You’re the champ.  You don’t care about nobody being bigger than you.  You go in there and you forget all of that and defend your title because you’re the king and you’re not going to let nobody take it… And that’s how he should come in there.

“There’s a time and a place to be nice.  You can’t always be nice.  You’ve got to go in there and let them know ‘I’m still a monster, I’m still a beast, I’m still that lion and I’ll eat you up alive when I get you in there.’  And that’s just what he has to come to bring to the table.

 

“I’m so ready for this fight.  I’m looking forward to what’s after this to come.  I’m looking forward to unifying this division and bringing it back to America – where it once was and where it’s always going to remain once I bring all the belts.  It’s going to be back, I promise you that.

 

“Age is only but a number and if you feel like you still have it in you and have confidence in yourself, then that’s what you’re going to do.  The mind is a powerful thing to lose.  And when you lose your mind, you lose your body.

 

“With Klitschko, he feels like he’s dedicated himself back to the sport and that’s why he says he’s obsessed.  He’s obsessed with retaining his titles, he’s obsessed with rising in boxing again.  He’s like a new fighter.  He needed that loss to Tyson Fury because he forgot to be humble.  He forgot about that.

 

“Now that he’s rebuilt himself, he’s got that hunger, that fire.  At the end of the day, all that matters is on the night of the fight.  He can come to us with another Tyson Fury fight, talking about height and weight, or he can bring that Klitschko like we’ve always seen with the jabs and setting up with the right hands… We’ll see what happens.”

 

On his prediction for the winner and why…

“I’m going to continue with my statement as I’ve been saying it.  My heart is for Joshua, but my mind is for Klitschko.  My heart is for Joshua because I would love to fight him – I think that would be a mega-fight.  Even though Joshua is fighting Klitschko, people are still talking to this day about a Wilder and Joshua fight.  It’s almost demanded.  If this kid beats Klitschko it’s like the only fight he can have is me, because it’s been so demanded.

 

“My mind goes to Klitschko, because he’s very smart.  People talk about age, but like I said, age can play an advantage too.  Klitschko has seen every style there is…And when you see it again, you know how to handle it and adapt to it.  You know what you got to do.

 

“He knew what he had to do against Fury, he just didn’t pull the trigger because he was scared of being punished.  That was his fault.  Now that’s a shame on him.  Now he’s coming back for a second time for a title, so if he does it again, he’s going to need to give it up.  For those reasons, my heart goes to Joshua but my mind goes to Klitschko.”

boxing, ShoBox, Showtime, Showtime Boxing, women's boxing

Four-Division World Champion Amanda Serrano Seeks Record Fifth World Title Against Former World Champion Dahiana Santana in Vacant Bantamweight World Title Matchup Live on  SHOWTIME EXTREME® Saturday, April 22

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Plus! Undefeated Super Lightweight Prospect Jose Miguel Borrego Battles California’s John Delperdang in SHOWTIME EXTREME Action Beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT Live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn
 
BROOKLYN (April 19, 2017) – Four-time world champion Amanda “The Real Deal” Serrano will look for a record-setting fifth world title when she battles former world champion Dahiana Santana for the vacant WBO Bantamweight World Championship on Saturday, April 22 in the featured bout of SHOWTIME BOXING on SHO EXTREME, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.
Televised coverage on SHOWTIME EXTREME begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT with an eight-round showdown between unbeaten 140-pound prospect Jose Miguel Borrego(11-0, 10 KOs) and California’s John Delperdang (10-2, 9 KOs). Delperdang replaces Jonathan Alonso, who withdrew from the bout because of a rib injury. Coverage continues at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT on SHOWTIME® headlined by the WBC welterweight world title eliminator between Andre Berto and Shawn Porter.
Unbeaten top heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz was originally scheduled to faceDerric Rossy in an undercard attraction, but was forced to withdraw after injuring his hand in training.
The 28-year-old Serrano (31-1-1, 23 KOs) can become the first female and the first Puerto Rican fighter in history to win world titles in five weight classes. Standing in her way is the former featherweight champion Santana (35-8, 14 KOs) out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
“I’m really excited about this fight because this is the first time I haven’t had to call someone out, Santana has been calling me out for some time,” said Serrano. “I’ve been in training since my last fight, just like I always am. I’m constantly learning and trying to improve and maintain my skills. Santana is the best female boxer from the Dominican Republic and she’s won fights all over the world. In the end, I think my pressure is going to be too much. I’m not planning on letting this fight go the distance.”
“I got the offer for this fight about a month and a half ago and I have been training hard ever since,” said Santana. “I’m a technical fighter, but I have different styles and I can adapt to my opponent. I know Amanda very well and I’ve seen her fight many times. I’m going to come and put on a great show and leave everything I have in the ring.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment, start at $50 (not including applicable fees) and are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com, www.barclayscenter.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center. Group discounts are available by calling 844-BKLYN-GP.
Raised in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, Serrano gravitated toward boxing from watching her older sister Cindy, also a professional fighter. She picked the sport up quickly, amassing a 9-1 record during a brief amateur career in which she won the New York Golden Gloves title in 2008. The 28-year-old would go on to fight all over the world, seizing her first world title in 2011 when she defeated Kimberly Connor to grab a super featherweight belt. In 2014, she went to Argentina and defeated Maria Elena Maderna to become a world champion at lightweight. Her world title climb continued in 2016 as she stopped Olivia Gerula in the first round to capture her featherweight championship and followed that up with a victory over Alexandra Lazar to add a super bantamweight title to her collection. She most recently put on a show at Barclays Center in January when she defeated two-division champion Yazmin Rivas by unanimous decision.
A pro since 2002, Santana won a world title in 2011 with a victory over Stacey Reile before defending her belt successfully three times. She picked up an interim featherweight title in 2014 to cap a seven-fight win streak that spanned from 2011 to 2014. In 2016 she traveled to Finland to challenge Eva Wahlstrom for her super featherweight title, ultimately losing a decision. Santana has fought in six countries throughout her career and will be making her second U.S. start on April 22.
At just 19-years-old, Borrego will look to establish himself as a prospect on the path toward stardom when he takes on the toughest opponent of his career on April 22. Hailing from Aguascalientes, Mexico Borrego turned pro in 2015 after an amateur career that included a gold medal at the 2013 Mexican National Olympiad. He racked up three victories before a busy 2016 saw him score seven knockout victories, including his last outing, a stoppage of Tomas Mendez in round one. Borrego had previously trained at Freddie Roach’s gym when training in the U.S., but held training camp up in the Bronx leading up to April 22.
Fighting out of Escondido, California, Delperdang most recently went 12-rounds with former title challenger Hank Lundy after winning his previous four fights, including three by knockout. The 24-year-old defeated previously unbeaten Oscar Mejia last September and his only other defeat came via a narrow majority decision to then unbeaten Rickey Edwards. After turning pro in 2014, Delperdang won his first six pro bouts, all by knockout.
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ABOUT BERTO vs. PORTER                     
Andre Berto vs. Shawn Porter is a WBC welterweight world title eliminator between former 147-pound world champions. The 12-round bout headlines SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, presented by Premier Boxing Champions, Saturday April 22 from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™. In the co-main event, undefeated super welterweight world champion Jermell Charlo battles top rated challenger Charles Hatley, with televised coverage beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT.
For more information visit www.SHO.com/Sports follow on Twitter @ShowtimeBoxing, @AndreBerto, @ShowtimeShawnP, @LouDiBella, @BarclaysCenter and @Swanson_Comm or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/SHOBoxing,www.Facebook.com/DiBellaEntertainment, www.Facebook.com/barclayscenter. PBC is sponsored by Corona, La Cerveza Mas Fina.
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SHOWTIME SPORTS® UNVEILS FULL SPRING BOXING SCHEDULE, HEADLINED BY LIVE TELECAST OF HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT: JOSHUA vs. KLITSCHKO

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SHOWTIME® To Present Seven World Championship Fights Across Seven Live Telecasts In Eight Weeks

 

Video/Graphic Credit: SHOWTIME

 

Watch Joshua-Klitschko launch spot:  http://s.sho.com/2ouhMgN

 

NEW YORK (April 17, 2017) – SHOWTIME Sports has unveiled the network’s complete spring 2017 boxing schedule following today’s earlier announcement that the heavyweight boxing event of the year will be televised live on SHOWTIME.  The stacked lineup includes seven world championship fights across eight live boxing telecasts over an eight-week span.

 

On Saturday, April 29, Anthony Joshua will face Wladimir Klitschko in the most significant heavyweight world championship fight in more than a decade.  The event will air live on SHOWTIME at 4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT from a sold-out Wembley Stadium, where a record crowd of more than 90,000 spectators is expected.

 

Also announced today, SHOWTIME and Premier Boxing Champions will present the rematch between WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Adonis Stevenson and Andrzej Fonfara on Saturday, June 3.  This bout is an encore of a 2014 action-packed fight in which Stevenson edged Fonfara to defend his 175-pound crown.

 

The SHOWTIME boxing lineup also includes two significant welterweight bouts with world title implications: Andre Berto vs. Shawn Porter (April 22) and Kell Brook vs. Errol Spence Jr. (May 27).  Both events are presented in association with Premier Boxing Champions.  The April 22 Berto vs. Porter event will feature an anticipated 154-pound world title fight between Jermell Charlo and Charles Hatley as well asworld champion Amanda Serrano attempting to become the first woman—and first fighter of Puerto Rican decent—to win a world title in five different weight classes.

 

On Saturday, May 20, SHOWTIME will present a unique twin-bill of world championship fights.  First, boxing’s hottest young star, newly minted world champion Gervonta Davis, will make his first world title defense against Liam Walsh from London.  Later that evening, featherweight world champion Gary Russell Jr. and former world champion Andre Dirrell will be featured in separate bouts.  Start times for both live telecasts are to be determined.

 

In all, SHOWTIME Sports will present one live SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL telecast, one live ShoBox: The New Generation telecast, and five SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, all free to network subscribers.  Plus, SHOWTIME is in the early stages of planning for the return of four-division world champion Adrien Broner and undefeated star Mikey Garcia in separate events this summer.

 

The spring lineup complements the network’s robust 2017 boxing schedule.  In the first 10 weeks of the year, SHOWTIME Sports presented eight world championship fights, including two world title unification bouts (Jack vs. DeGale and Thurman vs. Garcia, SHOWTIME Boxing on CBS), two world title rematches (Frampton vs. Santa Cruz II and Linares vs. Crolla II), the live-stream of the first-ever boxing event on Twitter (Broner vs. Granados), the resurgence of women’s boxing (Serrano vs. Rivas) and the first women’s boxing main event in premium television history (Shields vs. Szabados).

 

“SHOWTIME continues its unrivaled commitment to the sport.  There simply is no other network in boxing delivering world-class events on a consistent basis,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President & General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.

 

“Our 2017 schedule already includes some 17 live boxing telecasts, 15 world championship fights, with the top-rated fighters squaring off in boxing’s deepest weight divisions.  We continue to break the glass ceiling on women’s boxing, deliver the biggest bouts from overseas and see champions take on champions to unify divisions.  We are proud to be re-shaping the boxing landscape both in and out of the ring.”

 

See below for the SHOWTIME boxing spring calendar.  This is the network’s third major boxing schedule announcement of the past 13 months.

 

 

Saturday, April 22 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Presented by Premier Boxing Champions

Main Event:     Andre Berto (31-4, 24 KOs) vs. Shawn Porter (26-2, 16 KOs) – WBC Welterweight World Title Eliminator

Co-Feature:     Jermell Charlo (28-0, 13 KOs) vs. Charles Hatley (26-1-1, 18 KOs) – WBC Super Welterweight World Championship

SHOX:            Amanda Serrano (31-1-1, 23 KOs) vs. Dahiana Santana (35-8, 14 KO’s) – 10-Rd. WBO Bantamweight World Championship

Start Time:      9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT (SHO Boxing on SHO EXTREME, 7:30p ET/PT)

Venue:             Brooklyn’s Barclays Center

Notes:              ·  The winner of Berto-Porter becomes the WBC mandatory challenger to Unified World Champion Keith Thurman.

  • Berto-Porter is the fourth welterweight world title/title eliminator fight televised on SHOWTIME/CBS in the last 10 months.
  • Charlo-Hatley is the eighth world title/title eliminator in the 154-pound division on SHOWTIME/CBS in the last 13 months
  • Serrano attempts to become the first woman to win world titles in five different weight classes

 

 

Saturday, April 29 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Main Event:     Anthony Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) vs. Wladimir Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) – IBF and vacant (Super) WBA Heavyweight World Championship

Start Time:      4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT, live on SHOWTIME

Venue:             Wembley Stadium, London

Notes:              ·  Most significant heavyweight world title fight in 15 years—since Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson in June, 2002

  • Officially sold out more than 90,000 tickets; set to smash the attendance record at Wembley and join the ranks of the biggest events in boxing history

 

 

Saturday, May 20 – SHOWTIME BOXING INTERNATIONAL

Main Event:     Gervonta Davis (17-0, 16 KOs) vs. Liam Walsh (21-0, 14 KOs) – IBF Super Featherweight World Championship

Start Time:      TBD, live from London

Venue:             Copper Box Arena in London, England

Notes:              ·  Matchup of undefeated fighters. Champion vs. No. 1-ranked contender

  • Davis is the youngest reigning American titlist and second youngest in the world (Kosei Tanaka)

 

 

Saturday, May 20 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Main Event:     Gary Russell Jr. (21-1, 16 KOs) vs. Oscar Escandon (25-2, 17 KOs) – WBC Featherweight World Championship

Co-Features:   Andre Dirrell (25-2, 16 KOs) vs. José Uzcátegui (26-1, 22 KOs) – IBF Super Middleweight Interim World Championship

Rances Barthelemy (25-0, 13 KOs) vs. Kiryl Relikh (21-1, 19 KOs) – WBA Super Lightweight Eliminator

Start Time:      TBD

Venue:             MGM National Harbor in Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area

Notes:              ·  Sixth featherweight title fight on SHOWTIME since Feb. 2016, and second this year.

  • The winner of Dirrell-Uzcátegui becomes the mandatory for IBF Super Middleweight World Champion James DeGale
  • The winner of Barthelemy-Relikh becomes the mandatory challenger to WBA Super Lightweight Champion Ricky Burns

 

 

Saturday, May 27 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Main Event:     Kell Brook (36-1, 25 KOs) vs. Errol Spence Jr. (21-0, 19 KOs) – IBF Welterweight World Championship

Start Time:      TBD, live from England

Venue:             Bramall Lane Football Ground in Sheffield, England

Notes:              ·  World Champion vs. IBF No. 1-ranked contender

  • No. 3-ranked vs. No. 5-ranked welterweights (via Transnational Boxing Rankings)
  • Six of the consensus top-10 welterweights in the world featured on SHOWTIME/CBS events in the first half of 2017

 

 

Saturday, June 3 – SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING

Presented by Premier Boxing Champions

Main Event:     Adonis Stevenson (28-1, 23 KOs) vs. Andrzej Fonfara (29-4, 17 KOs) II – WBC Light Heavyweight World Championship

Co-Main:         Eleider Alvarez (22-0, 11 KOs) vs. Jean Pascal (31-4-1, 18 KOs) – WBC Silver Light Heavyweight Title

Start Time:      TBD

Notes:              ·  Stevenson-Fonfara II is a rematch of 2014 all-action championship bout in which both fighters scored knock downs

 

 

Friday, June 9 – ShoBox: The New Generation (Hall of Fame Induction Weekend)

Main Event:     Joel Diaz Jr. (23-0, 19 KOs) vs. Abel Ramos (17-2-2, 12 KOs) – 10 Round Super Lightweight Bout

Start Time:      10 p.m. ET/PT

Venue:             Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, N.Y.

Notes:              ·  International Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Weekend

  • The lead announce team for ShoBox, legendary sportscaster Barry Tompkins and boxing historian Steve Farhood, to be inducted to the Hall in nearby Canastota, NY.

 

 

Expected This Summer

Four-division world champion Adrien Broner and WBC Lightweight World Champion Mikey Garcia in separate events live on SHOWTIME.

 

 

About Showtime Networks Inc.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon, Google and Samsung. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Sony PlayStation® Vue and Amazon Channels. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com

 

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MATCHROOM SPORT AND KLITSCHKO MANAGEMENT GROUP INK DEAL FOR U.S. TELEVISION RIGHTS TO HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BLOCKBUSTER EVENT: ANTHONY JOSHUA vs. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

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

 

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

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

 

Photo Credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME

 

LONDON (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.  On Saturday, 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. audience.  SHOWTIME will televise its SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING presentation live at 4:15 p.m. ET/1:15 p.m. PT, while HBO will televise its WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING production at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET/PT.

 

Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) and Klitschko (64-4, 53 KOs) 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,” said Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports.  “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 Sports: “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, England, 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 years.  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 Olympic Games.   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.  Along the way, 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 – compared to just 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 years.