All photos by Mark Robinson
On Saturday, October 28, unified and undefeated Heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua is set to take on late replacement opponent, Carlos Takam.
Takam replaced Kubrat Pulev as the IBF mandatory challenger for Joshua at Principality Stadium in Cardiff which will air live on Showtime in the United States and Sky Sports Box Office in the UK.
“When the Pulev fight was announced I made a deal with Takam’s team to begin camp and be on standby for this fight,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “When I called them this evening they were overjoyed and good to go. It’s a difficult position for AJ having prepared meticulously for the style and height of Pulev, he now faces a completely different style and challenge in Takam – this hasn’t happened in his career before but he is ready for all comers on October 28.”
Although this isn’t the best matchup that can be made for the young champion–according to Betway Insider Joshua is a 50/1 favorite to defeat the Frenchman–an almost guaranteed victory over Takam will cap off the greatest year of Joshua’s career so far.
On top of battling Wladimir Klitschko in one of 2017’s best bouts, Joshua is a legitimate contender for Fighter of the Year, as well as one of British sport’s most prestigious honours–the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
If the 28-year-old Englishman does win the SPOTY award, which is voted for by the public and has been handed out annually since 1954, he would become just the fifth different boxer (and sixth overall) to do so.
“AJ is a very solid shot to be crowned this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and it looks unlikely that Takam will put a spanner in the works,” said Betway’s Alan Alger. “Even if Takam springs a surprise, it’s likely AJ would still remain favorite. The public won’t be forgetting his monumental victory over Wladimir Klitschko too quickly, and it’s that bout that cemented his place as SPOTY favorite.”
