Anthony Joshua will not let Wladimir Klitschko’s annoying nickname rattle the British heavyweight champ, according to Eddie Hearn
The Londonder was called 'Little Bro' by the aging former heavyweight king as he tries to get inside the IBF boss' head
ANTHONY JOSHUA will not respect Wladimir Klitschko enough to let his mind games work when they put their friendship aside for the their heavyweight title fight in April, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
The Watford Adonis and Ukrainian giant met at Wembley in a super-friendly first media engagement since the fight was announced after AJ had slaughtered Eric Molina in Manchester. And the 40-year-old challenger rolled out an old nickname for the Olympic champ, designed to rattle him.
AJ was labelled “Little Bro” by Klitschko – a nickname he hasn’t used since the British superstar hotly tipped to become boxing’s first billionaire visited his Austria training camp as a novice in 2014 – and he brought the moniker back for the head-to-head.
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Matchroom boss Hearn reckons it was a clear power move to try to assert his experience and history as a 10-year champion over the 18-fight sensation, who he says will end the pleasantries when the war gets going.
Hearn told SunSport: "Some fights you have to really try to sell and others you don’t, and this is one of those.
“I find it compelling listening to Wladimir because he has shown how motivated he is and he has made me think it will be a tougher fight than I first thought.
“He knows what he’s doing, all this 'little bro' stuff, he is trying to old-man Joshua but he won’t be able to do it in the ring because Joshua won’t give him the respect in the ring.
“I think it will get a bit edgy. Wladimir has his career on the line and for AJ this is the acid test.
"It’s big pressure so I think it wil get edgey and I have not seen Wladimir this motivated for a fight for a long time.
“I think when you get a fight of this magnitude then it’s nice when there is a bit of respect and no aggro. If we had what we had last week, every week, then it would become a farce.”
The fracas Hearn was referring to was the table-tossing tear-up between British champion Dillian Whyte and Dereck Chisora went through BEFORE their sensational match that the Chisora lost on a narrow points decision.
The press conference melee cost Chisora £30,000 in fines and his right to fight for the title but definitely helped sell the fight, earning both men more money and making them both more than just names on Joshua’s undercard.
Critics rounded on the two heavyweights – as and talentless bad boys shaming the sport - but were left eating their words after they put on a fight-of-year contender.
And Hearn is already lining up a rematch for the two bruisers who will have to come up with a new marketing strategy after sharing an in-ring kiss and cuddle after the final bell and ending their feud.
He said: “I said after the fight that they were a credit to the sport and people shouted me down.
"But that is how you settle your differences in this sport; in the ring with respect and a cuddle afterwards.
“It was a stunning fight and although I had hoped it would be a fight like that, I can’t say I expected it to be a fight like that. It was great and there’s a big possibility of a rematch.
“I think Del will get more of a following now, the crowd really warmed to him and he gave everything in that fight, he is very tough and I think a rematch will sell.
“I think we need to put the two Londoners on at the o2.
“They’ll have to go through the whole process again and we’ll have to see how they behave.”