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SPORTS Thursday 26 OcTOber 2017

1st Takam, then the world: Joshua has big plans for 2018

By STEVE DOUGLAS the belts in 2018,” said Ed- stopped only once in 39
AP Sports Writer die Hearn, Joshua’s pro- fights and has 35 wins, gets
Anthony Joshua has big moter, “and we really in closer to his opponents
plans for 2018 now that would like to create three than Pulev and does more
he is the biggest draw in massive fights next year.” work on the body.
heavyweight boxing. Losing to Takam would ob- “I need to work on my in-
A unification fight against viously derail all the best- side game and stand in a
Deontay Wilder or Joseph laid plans, but it is highly phone box,” said Joshua,
Parker. A first fight in the unlikely. The unbeaten who described Takam as
United States, or maybe Joshua is disciplined and “durable.” “He disheartens
Africa or the Middle East. professional, and says he you. Imagine throwing your
Even an all-British super- isn’t getting carried away best shots and they are still
fight against Tyson Fury, if by his elevation to the top in front of you. It’s disheart-
the former champion re- of the division. He has also ening. To do that for 12
gains his license. only been taken beyond rounds takes a lot of ener-
Before that, though, Joshua the third round in three of gy so sometimes I’ll have to
must deal with more rou- 19 professional fights, in- stand in front of him, trade In this Friday, April 28, 2017 file photo, British boxer Anthony
tine matters: a mandatory cluding to the 11th round with him, and go to war.” Joshua gestures as he takes part in the weigh-in for his fight
defense of his WBA and IBF by Klitschko at Wembley Takam had been on stand- against Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Arena
belts against an opponent Stadium. Still — and maybe by since the Joshua-Pulev in London.
few outside the boxing fra- it is for PR reasons, given fight was announced in Associated Press
ternity will have heard of. that 70,000 people are ex- early September. Still, it in the seventh round. dium fights on British soil, so
Saturday’s fight in Cardiff pected to watch the fight came as a shock to Takam “Prince” Naseem Hamed this is another chance for
against Carlos Takam — a at the Principality Stadium when a friend from New beat Steve Robinson in a the champion to get used
late replacement for the — Joshua is trying not to Zealand texted him to say world featherweight title to the big occasion be-
injured Kubrat Pulev — is look beyond the 36-year- Pulev was injured and he’d fight at the same venue fore potential showdowns
hardly getting the pulse old Takam and has been be replacing him. in 1995, while in 2007, the against Wilder or Parker.
racing. Joshua’s status is in building him up as an awk- “I don’t know whether I’m Principality Stadium — then Wilder, the WBC champion,
a new stratosphere after ward opponent. excited, stressed, confused, called the Millennium Sta- appears to be the biggest
his dramatic victory over “People have said, ‘Josh, but I’m definitely ready for dium — staged Joe Calza- pull for Joshua.
Wladimir Klitschko in April what round? What round?’” the fight,” he said. “It will be ghe’s points win over Mik- “I think it could be built to
in one of the best heavy- Joshua said. “I think we’re a proper fight.” kel Kessler in a high-profile be something just like the
weight contests this cen- going for a 10-to-12-round The rugby-mad nation of super-middleweight fight. Klitschko fight. It should be
tury, so fighting a French fight because this guy’s Wales has hosted big box- That was in front of 50,000 better,” Joshua said. “I’m
journeyman like Takam is head is like a block of ce- ing bouts in the past, in- spectators, so the Josh- fine staying in the U.K., but
something of an anticlimax. ment.” Joshua has had cluding a fight for the WBC ua-Takam fight will be America’s definitely at the
No wonder much of the only two weeks to adapt to heavyweight title between the most-watched yet in top of the pyramid. Before
build-up has been about a change of opponent, fol- Lennox Lewis and Frank Wales, another signal of I wanted to go out there for
who Joshua will be fighting lowing Pulev’s withdrawal Bruno in 1993. In front of Joshua’s popularity. It is the experience. Now I want
next. because of a shoulder in- 20,000 fans at Cardiff Arms for that reason that Hearn to go out there and make
“The plan is for AJ to unify jury. Takam, who has been Park, Lewis stopped Bruno says Joshua will only do sta- me some money.”q

Wozniacki beats Halep, reaches semifinals at WTA Finals

SINGAPORE (AP) — Caroline Woz- you play a world No. 1,” Wozni- both of their meetings this season, I was down, I keep believing.”
niacki advanced to the semifi- acki said. “I think this court is great although the other was a three- Svitolina served for the match at
nals at the WTA Finals by beating for the all-around player who can setter in the quarterfinals at East- 5-3 in the final set, but lost the last
top-ranked Simona Halep 6-0, 6-2 play both aggressive and de- bourne. four games. “I missed my chanc-
Wednesday. fense.” Wozniacki is now 2-0 at the sea- es,” said Svitolina, struggling to
The former No. 1 from Denmark, The sixth-seeded Wozniacki saved son-ending tournament, while Ha- keep her composure. “I wish I knew
who made only seven unforced the one break point she faced in lep is 1-1. what was happening today with
errors in the match, took advan- the fifth game of the second set. There was a much tougher match my game, because even though
tage of the slow court, using the She broke Halep’s serve twice in for eighth-seeded Caroline Gar- it’s 7-5 in the third, my game was
time to set up her shots and cover the second set. cia of France, who outlasted completely off.”
more ground. “I think it was one of my bad days,” Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-7 (7) 6-3, Garcia and Halep stand at 1-1,
In the first set, Halep won only 10 Halep said. “I made too many mis- 7-5 in a grueling encounter. while Svitolina is 0-2 in the round-
of the 35 points played, and Woz- takes and she didn’t miss.” “It was a battle on every single robin. All three remain in conten-
niacki never faced a break point. Wozniacki improved her career point and I’m just happy to be tion for the second semifinal spot
“I don’t think it’s ever easy when record over Halep to 4-2. She won through,” Garcia said. “Even when in the Red Group.q