Having already begun preparations to fight Kubrat Pulev, Anthony Joshua will have to switch focus and possibly his entire mindset with his opponent pulling out through injury less than a fortnight before the first bell was set to ring at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on October 28. AJ will instead face Carlos Takam, a much more defensive-minded heavyweight than the Bulgarian.
Takam, a French-based Cameroonian, is as imposing a figure as the defending WBA and IBF champion. He’s been given this unexpected chance to upset Joshua on home soil but is no ‘Rocky Balboa’. Takam took WBO champion Joseph Parker to 12 rounds before losing on points. That fight was brutal at times and Takam showed that he can dish out punishment as well as take it.
However, Joshua has stopped all 19 opponents so far and isn’t afraid to mix it himself, climbing off the canvas to beat Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in April. The 28-year-old from Watford does have the advantage of being in ‘fight’ mode, even though his training camp for Pulev didn’t exactly go to plan, whereas Takam has taken this fight late in the day.
Takam has three losses and a draw on his professional record and is already 36 so is not going to get many more chances to fight for a world title. He’ll be putting everything into the opening rounds and has stopped 27 of his 39 opponents. But none of them have been in the same league as Joshua with Tony Thompson well over the top when the pair met in 2014.
Joshua may have to be a little cautious with Takam but that sledgehammer he has in his gloves will start to get through if he’s patient and not even his opponent’s tough chin may be able to resist when that happens.
The Briton is only a best 1/16 to win by a knockout, TKO or disqualification in the Method Of Victory betting but I think Over 5.5 Total Rounds with William Hill is good value.
