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SPORTS A23
Friday 23 March 2018
Joshua looking to be undisputed heavyweight champion in 2018
By STEVE DOUGLAS promised. Britain's World Heavyweight Champion Anthony Joshua during the workout at the English Institute
AP Sports Writer Joshua knows Wilder is the of Sport, Sheffield England Wednesday March 21, 2018.
SHEFFIELD, England (AP) — big one, the fight that will
If 2017 for Anthony Joshua define him even more than Associated Press
was about becoming the last year's epic victory over
world's No. 1 heavyweight, Wladimir Klitschko before Arena (21,000 fans), Wem- being in an audience so Carlos Takam in October
2018 is all about creating 90,000 at Wembley that bley (90,000 fans) and Car- big and how to entertain that made it 20 straight
his legacy. rocketed him into boxing's diff's Principality Stadium people," Joshua said. stoppages for the London-
"No one is on the journey global consciousness. (78,000 fans) — and filled "I know my way around er.
anymore," Joshua said When the American's out each one. the ring: I spar in a ring the "I should be a lot quicker
Wednesday. "We're at the name was brought up at a Joshua believes his big-are- same size as the fight ring. and outwit him," he said.
destination." media session at the Eng- na experience will count in A happy fighter will perform Laughing and joking, Josh-
Bold words for someone lish Institute of Sport in Shef- his favor, especially in Car- a lot better." ua couldn't have been
with just 20 professional field, northern England, on diff — a place he calls his Joshua, who says "definitely more laid back 10 days out
fights to his name. Then Wednesday, Joshua sat "winter home." there'll be blood," is set to from heavyweight unifica-
again, Joshua is no normal up straight in his chair and "I know the ring walk, I know come in at 112 kilograms tion fight as he put on a
boxer. moved forward. the changing room. I just (246 pounds), compared to show for the media in the
Potentially within four He spoke of Wilder being know what it is like to be vic- the 115kg he weighed for gym used by Britain's Olym-
months, the 28-year-old an unrealistic negotiator — torious, I know how to deal his last fight — a 10-round pic boxers, his body looking
Brit could be the first undis- "he has to stop living in a with a lot of distractions of win over late replacement as chiseled as ever.q
puted world heavyweight fantasy land" — but Hearn,
champion since Lennox sitting alongside him, said it
Lewis in 2000, and the first is a fight that somehow will
boxer to hold all four belts get made.
in the division — WBA, IBF, First of all, however, Joshua
WBO and WBC. has to deal with Parker, a
Stage 1 comes on March tough New Zealander who
31 when Joshua, the WBA arrives in the U.K. with a
and IBF champion, fights 24-0 record — 18 of them
WBO titleholder Joseph knockouts — but the least
Parker in front of around envied of the four belts.
80,000 spectators in Cardiff. Parker will be in uncharted
If all goes to plan in the territory, having typically
Welsh capital, the fight the fought in front of crowds of
world wants to see should around 10,000 in his native
be next — Joshua vs. WBC country.
champion Deontay Wilder, Since becoming heavy-
a meeting of heavyweight weight champion in April
boxing's two most destruc- 2016, Joshua has fought
tive punchers. at four different British ven-
"It will be in 2018," Joshua's ues — London's O2 Arena
promoter, Eddie Hearn, (16,000 fans), Manchester
Juventus to play in MLS All-Star Game in Atlanta on Aug. 1
By ANNE M. PETERSON since MLS beat Tottenham the league and start to fol- Spal's Felipe Dal Bello, left, and Juventus' Douglas Costa fight
AP Sports Writer in 2015. low it closer."Neither Italy for the ball during a Serie A soccer match between Spal and
Juventus will play in Major "It will be a pleasure for us to nor the United States made Juventus, at the Paolo Mazza Stadium in Ferrara, northern Italy,
League Soccer's All-Star play in this game and feel the field for this year's World Saturday, March 17, 2018.
Game in Atlanta on Aug. 1. the energy of MLS, an ever- Cup in Russia, making it
Leading the Italian League growing league attracting more likely players from Associated Press
as it pursues a seventh more and more passionate those countries will appear
straight Serie A title, the Bi- fans," Juve coach Massimil- in the game, said Atlanta average of 48,200 fans. last season’s home opener.
anconeri will be the latest iano Allegri said in a state- United President Darren This season’s home opener United has drawn three
high-profile European club ment. "It will also be a great Eales. against D.C. United drew crowds of more than 70,000
to face the top MLS players chance for the many Ju- “We couldn’t be happier an MLS-record 72,035.That at Mercedes-Benz Stadium,
in the annual showcase . ventus supporters in North to be hosting it,” Eales said. bested the previous record also home to the NFL’s At-
Real Madrid won last year's America to see their team “It was amazing how the of 71,974 set by Atlanta at lanta Falcons.q
game in Chicago on pen- and favorite players." city got behind Atlanta
alty kicks. NYCFC star David Villa, the United last year and it con-
Led by forwards Paulo Dy- league's 2016 MVP, has tinues this year. We had
bala and Gonzalo Higuain, made the last three All-Star nearly 73,000 for our first
Juventus is Italy's most suc- games. home game, which set a
cessful club with 33 league "It's a great tool for the MLS new record. So this is a city
championships. to get more fans around that’s hungry for soccer.
Juventus is the second Se- the world because the All- I think that we’re going to
rie A team to play in the Star team plays against be great hosts.”
All-Star Game, following some of the best teams in Atlanta saw incredible suc-
Roma in 2013. The Euro- the world," Villa told The cess as an expansion team
pean opponent has won Associated Press. "The fans last year, setting a league
the past two All-Star games of those clubs get to know attendance record with an
