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Anthony Joshua wants to make U.S. debut in Las Vegas in 2017

Photo by: Ed Mulholland/ Matchroom Boxing/K2 Promotions, KMG Management Group
Fighters Network
01
Feb

Wladimir Klitschko bristled at the idea that Anthony Joshua is looking past him to a splashy U.S. debut later this year.

Yet it’s clear that UK’s Joshua, the IBF heavyweight titleholder who faces Klitschko on April 29 in London, as well as promoter Eddie Hearn are actively exploring coming to the U.S. after the fight at Wembley Stadium. In fact, Joshua is already picturing where his U.S. landing will take place even if he wouldn’t commit he will come to the U.S. immediately after the bout with Klitschko. “I think, me, Vegas would be good,” he told RingTV.com. “I feel Vegas would be the spot. When I watched (Mike) Tyson — he used to fight (in Las Vegas). But yeah, I think America is the mecca of boxing so it can’t be denied. It would be one of the things ticked off my list.”

Joshua (18-0, 18 knockouts) was quick to plug the UK scene, which is enjoying a boxing renaissance and is bursting with fights, talent and fan interest. Hearn said on Tuesday during a press stop in Manhattan that 85,000 tickets had already been sold for April 29 and he expected a sellout of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium.  “I’m not going to rush to move anywhere because of what’s going on there right now,” Joshua said of back home. “Boxing is really good. But sure, if the opportunity came to fight someone like Wilder or someone like that in America I’d definitely jump at it,” he said, referencing WBC heavyweight titleholder Deontay Wilder.

 



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