What happens if Povetkin wins?
As previously reported by 3kingsboxing.com, Anthony Joshua will face Alexander Povetkin September 22 in Wembley Stadium.
Many boxing fans have been (and still are) entrapped in the story behind a possible Joshua/Deontay Wilder unification bout. The truth is behind the scenes, Povetkin had been there all along.
The attraction to the possibility of having the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis has blinded fans from a dangerous revelation. Alexander Povetkin, at age 38 is still more than capable of defeating Joshua! While a Wilder fight will still be intriguing, a loss would effectively devalue the fight a bit.
Let me explain. Both heavyweight champions are so eager to fight each other because of the stakes. The winner will have an opportunity to write his name in the history books within a category of only 23 other heavyweights. If Joshua loses, the attention will now be on Povetkin as he will hold three of the four major titles.
Wilder has been very vocal about defining his legacy as has Joshua. If Povetkin emerges as the victor, I have no doubt that Wilder will move on to attempting to fight Povetkin instead. The Joshua vs Wilder story will come to a bitter close…for that moment anyway.
Povetkin Today
Povetkin is still one of the more athletic fighters in the division despite failing two drug tests for PEDs in a six month span in 2016. Cheater or not, he still packs a massive right hand that can be thrown as a hook or an overhand. He is also one of the best in the division at getting inside the jab of taller opponents and landing his right hand.
That does not go without saying, he has lost a step judging by his last fight against David Price. While he stopped Price in five, he was caught moving inside recklessly by a counter left hook in the third. The shot sent him sprawling across the ring and he used the ropes to keep himself from falling. This prompted the referee to administer a standing eight. If Joshua connects with the same kind of shot, it may be lights out!
However, we still cannot gloss over the fact that he has only lost to a dominant former champion in Wladimir Klitschko. A fight where many fans believe Klitschko got away with excessive holding and pushing that stinted the offensive attack of Povetkin.
Joshua is coming off of an impressive win over then WBO undefeated champion Joseph Parker. This is a very dangerous fight that might be taking place at the wrong time.
The first of two press conferences this week will be held in New York on July 17. The second will be in London on July 18.
By: EJ Williams
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