WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION Anthony Joshua will be nearly two stone heavier than his veteran Russian opponent Alexander Povetkin when he defends his title at Wembley tomorrow.
Joshua — whose International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation titles will be on the line — weighed in at 17 stone 8 pounds, while 39-year-old Povetkin tipped the scales at 15st 12lbs.
That meant the Englishman was four pounds heavier than he had been for his victory over Joseph Parker in March, but still lighter than his three contests prior to that fight.
The Russian challenger had weighed 16st 5lb for his last fight with Britain’s David Price, which took place on the undercard of the Joshua-Parker bout in Cardiff.
Joshua, 28, has admitted to feeling under “tons of pressure” as he returns to the scene of arguably his greatest triumph, an 11th-round stoppage of former champion Wladimir Klitschko last year.
Joshua, the 2012 Olympic champion in London, comes into Saturday’s contest — with 80,000 spectators expected — having won all 21 of his professional bouts, although his last fight, against New Zealand’s Parker in March, saw him go the distance for the first time as a pro before he secured a unanimous points decision.
Povetkin, like Joshua a former Olympic champion with his moment of glory coming in Athens in 2004, served notice of his punching power on the undercard of that bout, with a sickening knockout of Price.
The only blemish on the Russian’s 35-fight record is a 2013 points defeat by Klitschko.
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