IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseeni Joshua, 27, will defend his title against Vladmir Klitschko and bid for the vacant WBA strap in front of a post-war record boxing crowd of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium in just his 19th professional fight.
Klitschko, 41, was unbeaten in 11 years prior to defeat to Tyson Fury in his last fight in November 2015 and says he is “obsessed” with overcoming the Briton.
Joshua’s procession to a world title – captured in just 34 career rounds when he floored American Charles Martin in 2016 – has led to him being installed as odds-on-favourite against Klitschko with bookmakers.
He has contested just 44 rounds as a professional, a tally surpassed by Klitschko in his last five fights alone, with the 41-year-old Ukrainian hardened by 358 rounds as a pro, spanning 68 fights, 64 wins and more than 20 years.
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