The three keys to Anthony Joshua beating Wladimir Klitschko
Joshua and Klitschko meet at Wembley on Saturday night, and The Independent's boxing expert Steve Bunce has offered AJ his advice on how to beat 41-year-old King Wlad
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Your support makes all the difference.Youth, power and staying calm are the three keys to Anthony Joshua defeating Wladimir Klitschko, according to The Independent's boxing columnist Steve Bunce.
Joshua heads into the biggest fight of his life with just 18 hours in the ring during his career.
But it is that freshness, the young energy of Joshua, that could be so crucial in defeating the Ukrainian veteran at Wembley on Saturday night.
“He needs to use all of that youth," said Bunce, "all of that exuberance, all of that vitality, all of that energy, he needs to be so much busier than Wladimir Klitschko, who is 41 years of age, he needs to keep moving and hassling.
“Then what he needs to do is use that power. Not become over-reliant on that power, but not afraid to let the shots go and if he can’t get a clear shot at Wladimir’s head he needs to get a shot at Wladimir’s arm and just grind away. Not at half power, or three-quarters power, but at full 100% he needs to make Wladimir know he’s been in that fight.
“And the third and most important thing is that he needs to stay calm, big Wlad has fought in front of 70,000 people before. He’s been under pressure. Joshua hasn’t been under pressure since the Olympics. He needs to take a big breath and stick to the plan. If that means holding up for five or six rounds then he has to stick to that. Don’t go all-out too early.
“If he puts all of those together he’ll retain his title.”
Wladimir Klitschko intensified his mind games with Joshua ahead of Saturday's world heavyweight title fight by revealing he has already recorded his prediction of the outcome.
The 41-year-old challenger took the curious step of brandishing a USB memory stick which he claimed contained a video of his prediction - and said the stick would be sealed in the robe he will wear into the ring at Wembley Stadium.
He bids to become a three-time world champion by claiming Joshua's IBF title and the WBA belt last held by his conqueror Tyson Fury, but despite repeatedly stating his respect for his opponent and refusing to enter into a war of words, he finally attempted to unnerve him.
At Wednesday evening's public workouts at Wembley Arena there were suggestions Klitschko deliberately finished late to ensure Joshua would be waiting to start his.
There is also a belief that he has remained so respectful towards the 27-year-old in an attempt to soften his edge before the two finally enter the ring.
But holding up the memory stick at Thursday's press conference, Klitschko said: "I recorded a video last week, and the outcome of the fight.
"My prediction, so to say. This (memory stick) is going to be in my robe, which I'm going to wear this Saturday night, sealed."
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