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"It would be amazing for boxing" - Anthony Joshua keen on Wladimir Klitschko bout

IBF world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua says he is ready to face legendary Ukrainian boxer&...



"It would be amazing for b...
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"It would be amazing for boxing" - Anthony Joshua keen on Wladimir Klitschko bout

IBF world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua says he is ready to face legendary Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko this year and says the fight would be one that would be "amazing for boxing".

Reports have been emerging over the past two weeks that a fight is being set up which would see the pair face off in November and could possibly be for a vacant WBO title - should Tyson Fury be stripped of his belt. 

Speaking to Sky Sports, Joshua says the fight would be one that "the world of boxing wants".

"It would be amazing for boxing in general, for British boxing, for the people that have wanted to see a general step up in class," he said.

"It's an interesting fight. It's definitely one people have got interested in just by mentioning it. It ticks all the boxes for me at this present time. I think there's a few fights the world of boxing wants.

"A heavyweight fight with a former champion and a current champion is a fight that definitely ticks that box that will get people's hairs off their skin.

"There's a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. We're dealing with a legendary sportsman in Klitschko and a current champion so there's egos on the table."

While negotiations are ongoing with promoter Eddie Hearn, discussions have been for a fight at the end of next month and possibly in Manchester. Joshua says he is not focused on the details, but on his opponent.

"We've got to put that aside and hopefully we can definitely get this deal done. Eddie does a good job and he's a fantastic promoter.

"I've got to look at my team, my team are guiding me and they've got to be happy with everything as well.

"I'm confident Eddie's sending over the right messages and getting the right things in place for this fight to take place."

The Olympic gold medallist beat American Charles Martin to become IBF world heavyweight champion and successfully defended it against another fighter from across the pond, Dominic Breazeale.

Klitschko was beaten last year by Tyson Fury, losing his titles and suffering his first defeat in more than 10 years. Their rematch was twice postponed and then called off with rumours Fury had failed a drug test after testing positive for cocaine.

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