Lennox Lewis warns Anthony Joshua reignited Wladimir Klitschko will be out to disprove doubters at Wembley

EXCLUSIVE
Warning: Lennox Lewis warns deposed heavyweight could find new gear
AFP/Getty Images
John Dillon20 March 2017

Anthony Joshua has been warned by Lennox Lewis that defeat spurs deposed heavyweight champions like Wladimir Klitschko to reignite their desire to rule.

Lewis, the last man to reign undisputed in boxing’s prime division, draws a lesson for his fellow Londoner Joshua from his own epic career.

Wembley Stadium is set for a record 90,000 sell-out crowd when IBF title holder Joshua meets Ukrainian veteran Klitschko on April 29.

“When I lost for only the second time in my professional career to Hasim Rahman in 2001, the critics all insisted that it was all over for me,” said Lewis, 51. “They said that’s it – he’s done.

“The opposite was true. It re-kindled a flame that had been dwindling. I went back seven months later and knocked him out in the fourth round in the re-match.

“All I wanted to do was show the doubters that they were wrong.

“Will that be the case with Klitschko? Will his defeat by Tyson Fury have re-lit his flame?

“Now Klitschko knows he has to work hard again. This could motivate him for one big night.

“I don’t know yet – but I will be able to tell you after two rounds in April.

Counted out: Hasim Rahman is beaten by Lennox Lewis in 2001
AFP/Getty Images

“This is Anthony’s time now, but its still hard to pick a winner.

“This may be a fight too many for Klitschko. AJ may walk all over him.

“Klitschko fell asleep in his last fight. Will he be asleep again or will he have been spurred to get his title back? That is why it is so intruiging.”

The Wembley date will be for the WBA’s 'Super' version of the heavyweight title as well as 27-year-old Joshua’s IBF strap.

Klitschko, 41, lost the WBA, WBO and IBF titles to Manchester’s Tyson Fury in a shock points defeat in his most recent fight in Dusseldorf in November, 2015.

In Pictures | Anthony Joshua's professional fights

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It ended a nine-year reign as holder of various heavyweight belts.

Now one of the big questions surrounding the collision in London in the Spring is about whether he is too old to re-discover his former self.

Lewis, 51, is back in London from his home in Jamaica to act as ringside commentator at the IBO super-middleweight world title fight between Chris Eubank junior and Australian Renold Quinlan at Olympia on Saturday.

He spoke exclusively to StandardSport during a promotional filming visit to the famous Peacock Gym in Canning Town – close to the Forest Gate streets where he grew up before emigrating to Canada to join his mother Violet at the age of 12.

The final fight of Lewis’s glittering career was a hard-fought victory against Klitschko’s older brother, Vitali, in Los Angeles in 2003.

Joshua has been seen by many as Lewis's natural heir in Britain because of his immense stature, his knockout power and his relaxed, laid-back manner.

“He is measured,” Lewis added. “Patience is a virtue in this business.

“Anthony is a great young fighter. I have a lot of respect for him. He has worked hard and dealt with things well.

“But as far as experience goes, he is lacking a bit.

“You can go in there and knock out 18 guys straight, but what have you learned?

“But he is a guy who works hard in the gym all the time and he takes in a lot of information.

“That is good. It was much harder for me to get to world title level in my day.

“There were about four wasted years of politicking trying to get there.

“Anthony didn’t waste any years. He got there after 16 fights when he beat Charles Martin last year.

“That is the way it is now. He was in a position to do that. His team said here’s a chance to grab a vacant title. Lets do it.

“I would have done the same thing.

“Did he deserve the title? If he beats Klitschko, then yes he did.

“They don’t know that much about him in America yet. But they will do if he beats Wladimir at a place like Wembley.

“He is promoted well in England right now.

“But if you want to be a world champion, you’ve got to box around the world eventually.

“So now you’ve got Joshua, who is young and strong and you’ve got Klitschko, who is old but with so much knowledge and experience.

“And this is a good time, the right time for Anthony.”

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