Klitschko sticks it to Joshua as he turns up heat ahead of title fight

● Challenger brandishes USB stick containing video predicting outcome of world heavyweight bout

Wladimir Klitschko intensified his mind games with Anthony Joshua ahead of tomorrow’s world heavyweight title fight by revealing he has already recorded his prediction of the outcome.

The challenger, 41, brandished a memory stick which he said contained a video of his prediction at his press conference in London, and said the stick would be sealed in the robe he will wear into the ring at Wembley Stadium.

He bids to become a threetime world champion by claiming Joshua’s IBF title and the WBA belt last held by his conqueror Tyson Fury, but despite repeatedly stating his respect for his opponent, he finally attempted to unnerve him.

At Wednesday evening’s public workouts at Wembley Arena there were suggestions Klitschko deliberately finished late to ensure Joshua would be waiting to start his. There is also a belief that he has remained so respectful towards the 27-year-old in an attempt to soften his edge before the two enter the ring.

Holding up a memory stick at yesterday’s press conference, Klitschko said: “I recorded a video last week, and the outcome of the fight.

“My prediction, so to say. This [memory stick] is going to be in my robe, which I’m going to wear this Saturday night, sealed.”

He continued: “Do not ask me after the fight, ‘What is on the stick?’ The only person

0 Wladimir Klitschko said the memory stick would be sealed in the robe he will wear into the ring at Wembley Stadium tomorrow night. who’s going to be able to watch it is the person who’s going to buy this robe, and all the money will go to the Klitschko Foundation.”

Klitschko, who dismissed rumours he is carrying an eyesocket injury as “fake news”, also asked for another question to be directed to him when it was Joshua’s turn to speak, and helped the defending champion answer one of his questions.

“Can you imagine my next opponent, which is Anthony Joshua,” he continued. “I’m going to fight a guy whose age is the exact number I’ve been in boxing – 27 years.

“Life is a circle. I see myself in AJ. I do believe I know how he thinks, where he goes, what he’s going to do, and how the actual fight is going to be. I’m not Nostradamus, but I feel so strong in my obsession.

“Obsession is love in an extreme shape. I’m in love with my goal. And there is

0 Anthony Joshua and Klitschko face off at the press conference. nothing else stronger than love. I’ve been attached to these belts for a very long time. I had those belts in my past fight. I’m actually having them in my next fight – an amazing matter of fact – the only difference was after my last fight [against Fury] the belts went to the opposite corner. My obsession is so those belts can land in this corner.”

Joshua retained the same calmness he has exuded throughout the build-up to this fight – perhaps a consequence of his struggles against Dillian Whyte in 2015 when he became angry – and refused to respond to his challenger.

“I always try to strip everything back down to reality, what it really is,” he said. “Just focus on it’s just me and that man, coming to blows, and the best man winning.

“I take it seriously. April 29 is just another stepping stone towards greatness. Any fight’s the right fight. I’ve never shied away from any fight, any opponent. There’s no fear whatsoever that trembles through my body.

“[On Saturday night] I win. It’s not complicated. Let’s not over-think it. It’s not rocket science – it’s just a fight. Let’s strip it right back to what it is.”

Joshua’s trainer Rob Mccracken said: “Anthony’s at the peak of his powers. He’ll learn in this fight, develop as a fighter, and onwards and upwards.

“As great a fighter as Klitschko has been, Father Time’s a terrible person when he shows up and I think he’s alreadyshowedup,soit’sgoing to be tough for Wladimir. He doesn’t know himself if it’s still there or not, and he’ll only find out on Saturday.” Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari have had the upper hand so far in Formula One. They don’t expect to have it against Lewis Hamilton this weekend at the Russian Grand Prix.

The long straights in Sochi suit Mercedes, who have won all three races to date around Olympic Park.

With two wins from three races, Vettel is seven points ahead of Hamilton in the standings, but expects that lead to come under pressure from the Mercedes drivers on Sunday.

“On paper, it’s a very, very strong circuit for them,” Vettel said. “A lot of straights, a power-sensitive circuit, so we’ll see, but there’s also a lot of corners where I believe last year already the [Ferrari] car was very good.”

Vettel’s wins in Australia and last time out in Bahrain have already disrupted the Mercedes dominance of the previous three seasons. Turning those promising signs into a serious title challenge over the remaining 17 races is a different proposition.

“We had a great start, yes. We’re very happy about it, yes. But have we, you know, achieved anything yet? No,” said Vettel, a four-time champion with his previous team Red Bull. “Head down and full steam for this race.”

Hamilton warned that Mercedes’ history of dominance in Sochi doesn’t mean an easy win is on the cards.

“If we win, it’s going to be earned, and we’re here to earn it,” he said.

Hamilton and Vettel have beaten their respective team-mates Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen in all three races this season. As the title race takes shape, Bottas and Raikkonen face being forced to sacrifice their own opportunities to help a more successful team-mate’s title chances.

“Our job is to get maximum points [for the team]. If I’m ordered to move over, I will,” Bottas said. “But I’m working to make sure I’m not in that position.”

Hamilton said Mercedes will order one of its drivers to let the other pass only in “special circumstances,” but added: “Our approach is, the team needs to win.”