Glenn McCrory Previews Joshua-Takam
Anthony Joshua’s journey to becoming a national sporting treasure takes another step forward on Saturday as he headlines another massive Matchroom Sports World Championship bill at the Principality stadium in Cardiff.
His opponent is French based Cameroonian Carlos Takam, who replaces the injured Kubrat Pulev who withdrew with injury a couple of weeks ago. A boxer of Joshua’s calibre should have no real reason to stress over such a change as he has faced all types of opponents in his journey to Olympic gold and IBF and WBC professional titles.
His big enemy is complacency, however much a fighter thinks he is sharp and focused at the threat in hand it is easy to fall into the trap of taking your eye off the ball ever so slightly.
Time and again we have seen heavyweight greats come unstuck in fights like this. Our own Lennox Lewis destroyed by one punch unbelievably by the temperamental time bomb that was Oliver McCall in September 1994 and then getting it all wrong again in sensational fashion in Carnival City, South Africa in April 2001. Carlos Takam represents a serious threat if Joshua has relaxed his mindset in any way, his boxing record of only 3 losses in 39 fights is a credible one and with 27 of those wins coming by knockout he must be respected.
Anthony Joshua showed so much in that incredible win over Wladimir Klitschko in April in front of 90 000 excited Wembley stadium fans as he walked through fire to end the career of a Heavyweight boxing Legend, but he also showed vulnerability, hurt in the 5th and on the canvas and on the brink of defeat in the 6th round Klitschko failed to follow up, a decision which cost him dearly.
Fortune favours the brave however and Takam comes to Cardiff with a superb opportunity in a win-win situation every fighter would relish.
A late replacement, the underdog Takam looks to make a huge name for himself and write his names in the history books. He can box as shown in his narrow points loss to Current WBO champion New Zealand’s Joseph Parker where he boxed on the back foot early then changed tactics to pushing Parker backwards and pushing him close in there 12 round battle last year.
He is also prepared to stand and fight as he did with a top form Alexander Povetkin before suffering his sole knockout defeat in 10 rounds of a torrid encounter in October 2016. Indeed its going to take a poised and professional performance to dampen the early tenacious attacks from Takam, the jab of Joshua is going to be key as looks to break the spirit early before unloading with his big right hand, and as we all know heavyweight boxing can change dramatically with one big punch.
Let’s hope lessons have been learned because as Britains best ever Heavyweight champion will tell you lightning does strike twice.
READ MORE:
Anthony Joshua Promises An Exciting Fight
Joshua Expecting To Go Into Deep Waters Against Carlos Takam