Critical Analysis of Wladimir Klitschko in Sixth Round of the Anthony Joshua Fight
 

Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Seemingly retired and discouraged after getting stopped by Anthony Joshua last year, Wladimir Klitschko’s record stands at 63-5 with 43 knockouts, Kiev, Ukraine, will turn 42 years old next month. Klitschko has been inactive since losing to Joshua at Wembley in London last April.

In the critical sixth round in Klitschko versus Joshua, Anthony Joshua’s mouthpiece came out after a clinch. Klitschko, sensing blood (as Joshua appeared perhaps to be hurt and on the defensive), came forward with confidence, serious intent and meticulous timing. A picture perfect short power right to Joshua’s chin send Joshua hurt to the canvas. Joshua beat the count.

Wladimir, at that point, got tied up by Joshua three more times at the round progressed, and threw some wild shots which missed. Nothing Wladimir threw after the knockdown matched his earlier pinpoint accurate power punch which caused it. Tentative and cautious, Klitschko had the opportunity to close the door and try to finish the bout, but failed to take advantage of the opportunity to win the bout by knockout he created.

Wladimir’s loss to Joshua, given his well, thought out and deserved knockdown, had to do with his game plan. If his game plan was to search for openings with the inexperienced Joshua and pick him apart, Wladimir started well. However, unlike other opponents, Wladimir exercised great caution with Joshua after the knockdown. This caution backfired on Wladimir. He gave Joshua took much respect from that point on in their world title bout, perhaps concerned about punching himself out early. This gave Joshua the motivation to shake off the knockdown and take the bout into the later rounds, where Klitschko, behind on points and still cautious, got outworked and eventually broken down.

Klitschko could have won this fight if he maintained the same sort of pressure on Joshua which caused it after the knockdown, when Joshua was clearly hurt. If Wladimir had continued to box smartly and stuck to his game plan of finding accurate openings and landing with success, Joshua could have been stopped within eight rounds. Klitschko had a mandatory rematch clause with Joshua but opted to retire. Manuel Charr is currently in negotiations to defend his WBA regular heavyweight title against Fres Oquendo, with the winner to fight Super Champion Anthony Joshua or defend against the winner of Tony Bellew versus David Haye II, now that Wladimir Klitschko is officially retired.

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