Boxing heavyweight IBF champion Anthony Joshua says he’s confident and ready for what is arguably the toughest fight of his career so far on Saturday, as he prepares to face one of the sport’s all-time greats, Wladimir Klitschko.

Joshua, 27, said he’s trained hard for the fight against a man who’s been in the sport since the 2012 Olympic champion was born.

Ukrainian Klitschko, 41, said he was obsessed with reclaiming the heavyweight titles he lost against Britain’s Tyson Fury in November 2015 — his first defeat in 11 years. Klitschko has won 64 of his 68 fights.

Britain’s Joshua, making his third defence of the IBF title he won against American Charles Martin last April, has 18 straight knockouts to his record.

Klitschko, dressed in a grey tracksuit, went on a charm offensive, describing Britain as boxing’s Mecca and saying he and Joshua were polishing the sport’s reputation.

Klitschko jokingly referred to one report that he had an eye socket injury as “fake news” and drew applause when he said he had made a video recording of himself predicting the outcome which he would keep on a USB stick sealed in his robe before it is auctioned off to raise money for his foundation.

Saturday’s fight, in which the vacant WBA belt is also up for grabs, will see the biggest crowd for a boxing match in Britain since 1939 when 90,000 watched Len Harvey take on Jock McAvoy at London’s White City.

Reuters