Boxing giants battle for belt

Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko drew the kind of crowd for their final news conference that most fighters would be happy with once they got in the ring.

Everything is supersized in their heavyweight title fight, including the fighters themselves.

The two big — and big punching — heavyweights meet Saturday night in England’s national stadium, where some 90,000 fans are expected to watch the most anticipated heavyweight fight in more than a decade.

Most will be screaming for Joshua, but the loudest voice may be that of Klitschko’s brother, Vitali, in his corner.

“My prediction is that Wladimir will knock him out,” said Vitali Klitschko, a former three-time heavyweight champion himself who is now the mayor of Kyiv in his native Ukraine.

Unfortunately for Klitschko, there will be no tag team match as he enters the ring an underdog for the first time of his career.

He also enters it without a title belt for the first time in more than a decade after losing to Tyson Fury in his last fight in 2015.

And, of course, he enters it seen as a villain.

“It’s his fans, I totally get it,” Klitschko said.

“But it’s my night, my fight, my win.”

Joshua’s popularity in his native country was evident Thursday at the news conference in the Sky Sports building, where hundreds of employees lined the balconies and stairwells to get a glimpse of the two fighters.

The fight quickly sold out Wembley Stadium and will be on payper-view in England as well as both HBO and Showtime in the U.S.

It comes at a time when the heavyweight division is suddenly attractive again, with American Deontay Wilder holding part of the title and Joshua owning another piece. Wilder will be at ringside.

Joshua, who came from nowhere to win the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics, is a powerful puncher who has knocked out all 18 of his opponents but has yet to face anyone near the calibre of Klitschko.

Klitschko will be fighting for the heavyweight title for the 29th time. With his brother, Vitali, he’s dominated heavyweight boxing for the last decade, much to the displeasure of many avid boxing fans who don’t like his conservative style.

But he’s vowed to be aggressive against Joshua, knowing that, at age 41, this could be his last hurrah.

“I think Father Time is a terrible person when he shows up,” said Joshua’s trainer, Rob McCracken.

London bookies favour Joshua in the fight that matches two 6-foot-6 knockout punchers.

That’s a big selling point, but part of the appeal is also to see if Joshua can beat a great — but 41-year-old — heavyweight and establish himself as boxing’s next big attraction.

Joshua is a former sparring partner for Klitschko, who said the two know each other well after working together for about 20 rounds.