Joshua close to Klitschko bout
Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko are close to agreeing a December 10 world title fight.
Joshua’s IBF belt will be on the line and it’s hoped the WBA belt vacated by Tyson Fury last week will also be up for grabs for the imminent bout in Manchester.
Fury won the WBA title – along with the IBF, the WBO and Ring magazine belts – when he beat Klitschko 11 months ago.
But the Manchester boxer was forced to give up his belts last week after his rematch with Klitschko, 40, was postponed a second time over his problems with depression and drug-taking claims. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, offered Klitschko the fight as soon as the second rematch bit the dust.
Joshua had been due to fight on November 29 but was without an opponent when the chance to face Klitschko presented itself.
The 27-year-old Londoner won the IBF title earlier this year when he beat Charles Martin.
It was one of the belts Fury won when he beat Klitschko but the sanctioning body took it off him when he confirmed he’d fight the Ukrainian again rather than a mandatory opponent.
Dave Ryan says Josh Taylor is trying to run before he can walk as he vowed to put the Scot in his place in Friday’s Commonwealth super-lightweight title fight at Meadowbank.
East Lothian boxer Taylor, who won 2014 Commonwealth Games gold, bids to get his hands on the belt in his seventh pro fight.
But Ryan said: “Josh is going way too fast. This is too much of a big step for him. All the pressure is on Josh and I’ll use the big crowd to my advantage.”