By Tim Parsons-
Anthony Joshua will be his career heaviest for his second defense of the IBF title at the principality stadium on Saturday.
The 6ft 6 inch muscle man weighed 18 st 2, weighing heavier than the 17 stones 11 he came in against Klitschko. Takam, the French Cameroonian challenging for Joshua’s title, is over a stone lighter at 16 stones 11.
Takam has lost just 3 times out of 38 fights, and is a lot more experienced than his British opponent, who is favourite to keep his IBF belt when the pair clash before an international audience tomorrow, Saturday. The well liked Londoner has already admitted that he expects a tough fight from his ambitious opponent whom Joshua says has ”a head like steel”. It is a big risk coming in so much heavier than a challenger intent on stealing his belts.
At over 18 stones, we must ask whether Joshua is compromising his speed and condition, or if he will be just as dangerous as usual, and take Takam out. The IBF and WBA champion is powerful with a very hard dig, but his opponent may have the advantage of speed, being a stone lighter, and having a strong enough punch himself. At 16 stonnes 11, and 6ft 1 inches, Takam is himself a big and strong man, and will surely fancy his chances of winning. This is the most important fight of his life, and he is very aware of the dangerous and unbeaten opponent that will stand in the opposite corner. His team will tell him that he can move faster than Joshua, and that he should take advantage of Joshua’s extra weight which can tire him out as the rounds get longer. The fight is set to be broadcast in 160 countries, including France and Cameroon, where Takam hails from. Takam will be motivated for this fight, and he is usually a motivated fighter that comes forward. The smart money still has to be on Joshua.
Anthony Joshua will plan to impose his heavier size and longer reach on his shorter opponent, but Takam who will be conceding 5 inches in height can take some comfort from Dillian White, who with a similar height gave Joshua problems and threatened to stop the unbeaten champion. Joshua claims to have conditioned himself more than he did for previous fights, and believes his heavier weight has to do with him filling out naturally, probably because of his advancing age. The suspicion has to be that the unbeaten Londoner has been hitting the weights more and eating more too.
“Takam has a mindset of nothing to lose,” Joshua told Sky Sports, as he prepares for this defence. . “That’s a dangerous mindset to have, but I have to deal with these styles.
“I have to break him down, I’m hungry still, forever I will be.
“Against Klitschko, it was a really intense fight, it’s just knowing my positioning in the ring and to be comfortable. The outcome remains the same on Saturday.”
“I was reading everywhere that I was going to come in a stone lighter,” Joshua told Sky Sports. “I’ve done a lot more running. Maybe I’m starting to fill out and find my natural weight.” Joshua was originally lined up to fight Polish heavyweight, Kubrat Pulev, but the sudden switch to Takam has not affected his mentality at all. If he is taking Takam forgranted, that can be suicidal, Lennox Lewis did that with Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman before getting knocked out by both men. Lewis avenged both defeats, but his reputation suffered because of the loss, until he set the record straight. Joshua is expected to win this fight, this is not a fight seen as a big one for Joshua. Complacency is still not something Joshua can afford to do because Takam’s experience and good winning record means there is every possibility of an unlikely upset because Takam is no mug.
The Frenchman has been round the block many times, and is durable enough to remain determined and confident of pulling off a victory that can change his life forever. His friends and fans will be watching, and there is no doubt Takam is coming to win until Joshua puts him to sleep with his heavy fists. This fight will add to Joshua’s experience if he wins because Takam should not be expected to fold over in four rounds like many of Joshua’s opponents have. He is tough enough to give Joshua a good learning experience , which the champion should hope will last at least six rounds.