Sports
What Was on Wladimir Klitschko’s USB Stick Before Anthony Joshua Fight
Over eight years ago now, Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko took to the ring in Wembley Stadium. On the night, AJ came out on top via an 11th-round TKO in front of a 90,000-strong British crowd.
The fight also yielded one of the most famous press conference moments in recent boxing history, as Klitschko produced a memory stick that he said stored a video of him predicting the outcome of the fight.
The heavyweight champion at the time, well known for his pre-fight mind games, was evidently trying to get under his younger opponent’s skin, and set up a potential golden moment if his prediction was correct.
In the final press conference before the fight, Klitschko produced the stick and said: “Do not ask me after the fight what is on this stick. The only person who’s going to be able to open it up and watch it is the person who is going to buy this robe and this stick.”
The highest bid was alleged to be £160,000 at the auction. This money went to the Klitschko Foundation, a children’s charity set up by the former boxer. The full recording has not been released by the winner of the auction, which only mystifies the video more, but AJ believes he knows exactly what was on the USB.
Wladimir Klitschko’s USB Stick vs Anthony Joshua
After the fight, AJ revealed what he thought the recording would have been. Referencing Klitschko’s predictions for the fight on a Ukrainian TV show in his BBC documentary ‘Joshua v Klitschko: Return to Wembley,’ Joshua said: “He [Klitschko] said: ‘I will gas out, I will try to knock him out, and as I come rushing in, he’ll catch me with a right hand and knock me clean out.’
“He [Klitschko] sounded like Mystic Meg, because some of those predictions came true.”
The documentary was made a year after the fight, allowing the pair to reflect on the historic night and incredible fight.
Although AJ hints at the fact that he knows what was on the recording, it could be another one of Klitschko’s mind games. After all, his performance in the ring was not one of a man expecting to be knocked clean out.
Wladimir Klitschko vs Anthony Joshua Remembered
When the pair took to the ring, it was an instant classic, with fans and pundits alike calling it one of the greatest heavyweight match-ups of recent boxing history.
Joshua knocked Klitschko to the canvas in the fifth round, but was then dropped himself in the sixth. A true back and forth affair that climaxed with the Brit securing the stoppage in the 11th round.
It seemed to be somewhat of a changing of the guard, as the Ukrainian veteran was bested by Joshua. This granted the Brit his 19th victory in a row, all of which were by knockout.
The bout made box office history for PPV sales, as promoter Eddie Hearn alleged that it easily beat the previous record, which came from the Manny Pacquiao fight against Floyd Mayweather.
Despite there being a clause in the contract for a rematch, this was the final time that Klitschko laced up his gloves professionally. Although it is a loss on Dr. Steelhammer’s record, his antics before, during, and after the bout characterised his personality inside and out of the ring.
