Anthony Joshua returns to Wembley this evening in a heavyweight world title unification bout against Alexander Povetkin of Russia.
Povetkin, who won Olympic gold in 2004, is the mandatory challenger for the WBA title – but all four of Joshua’s divisional belts will also be on the line in London.
The Russian was granted a world title shot after Joshua failed to negotiate a fight with Deontay Wilder.
Povetkin represents a fearsome challenge for Joshua having only tasted defeat once in his career.
That loss came in 2013 against Wladimir Klitschko, who went on to lose against Joshua at Wembley last year.
As the home fighter and more high profile of the two, Joshua is expected to pocket significantly more than his challenger.
It is believed that Joshua will earn 20 million pounds and Povetkin 6 million pounds.
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The fight is tracking to break the 1.2 million pay per view record buys for a boxing event in the UK.
Joshua has called on the British public to support him after he fielded criticism for failure to secure a fight with Deontay Wilder.
“I can’t please everyone anymore, so I get that and so it’s my game now,” Joshua told BBC Sport.
“I’m having fun with it. I did 16 fights and went in for a world title, three years an amateur and went and won the Olympics, unified the heavyweight division, and it’s still not good enough.”
The 28-year-old also revealed Wembley has been booked out for a potential fight against Wilder or fellow British heavyweight, Tyson Fury.
“Providing I beat Povetkin, 13 April is booked. Wembley is there – a date and a location – it’s just the person who wants to step up and fight me.”
SOURCE: Telegraph.co.uk
