England cricketers past and present will be among those tuning in on Saturday night when Anthony Joshua takes on Wladimir Klitschko in a heavyweight blockbuster.
The two boxers will fight in front of a packed crowd of 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium – and boxing lovers from the world of cricket will be eagerly paying attention.
Alastair Cook will be in the Wembley crowd while Moeen Ali is huge Joshua supporter having spent a fun afternoon swapping sports with the Olympian in 2014.
We asked some of England cricket’s boxing fanatics for their predictions for the big fight and found out who they think would be the best and worst boxers in the changing room.
MOEEN ALI
What is your prediction for the fight?
I think it will be a tough fight for AJ because Klitschko is still a great champion, but Joshua will knock him out in the sixth round. Joshua will come out hard in the early rounds and he will try and stop Klitschko from getting going.
You spent the day with Joshua a couple of years ago, what was it like?
The training was really, really hard but he was a top bloke – and I didn’t realise how big he was! It was an amazing day. He is a really good guy and what stood out was how humble he is – he’s very real.
What did you learn from your time with Joshua?
There are lessons we can take from boxing, particularly the dedication. It’s different because they only fight a couple of times a year, but the way they train so hard is ridiculous.
Who would be the best boxer in the current England team?
Liam Plunkett would be a decent boxer, he’s got the physique for it. I think the worst would be Alex Hales – he has a massive nose so it’s a big target!
ALASTAIR COOK
What is your prediction for the fight?
You’ve got to go for Joshua to win. I will predict a knockout in the sixth round – but in heavyweight boxing you never know. If a heavyweight catches you flush, you’re going to go down. It will start off as a cautious fight and Klitschko will want to get behind his jab and use his range, but Joshua is different gravy.
Are you looking forward to it?
I’m going to the fight and it’s going to be brilliant. I went to the fight between Carl Froch and George Groves at Wembley and in terms of atmosphere, tension and build-up it was one of the best sporting events I’ve been at. I think it will be similar on Saturday.
Who would be the best boxer in the current England squad?
To be fair to him, Liam Plunkett. He would be the last person I would like to have to fight in the team. The worst would have to be Mo. He gives it all the chat because he hung out with Anthony Joshua but he doesn’t even know how to spell 'gym'. I think he would go down pretty quickly.
LIAM PLUNKETT
What is your prediction for the fight?
I’m going to go with Joshua. I watch a lot of boxing and I think Klitschko is quite a boring fighter. He will try and make it a long fight, with lots of jabs from range and clinches, but I think Joshua will have too much power for him. I’m going for a Joshua knockout between the sixth and eighth rounds.
Are you a big boxing fan?
I love it. I think it’s an amazing sport. I work out in the gym but the way these guys train is on another level. I like the idea of spending some time with a boxer and being in a training camp. I have seen a lot of athletes up close but when I went to see Joshua fight, he is an absolute monster. I’m hoping he can be the next great heavyweight world champion.
Who would be the best boxer in the current England team?
I would back myself actually. I think Stokesy would be good and Jason Roy would fancy himself a bit.
What is your prediction for the fight?
I only see one winner. Joshua is about 15 years younger, he’s a man mountain and has a huge punch. Klitschko lost to Tyson Fury and isn’t getting any younger. I think Joshua will finish Klitschko’s career.
Are you a big boxing fan?
Yes and the big thing for me is the fear factor. It’s scary enough walking out in front of a crowd as a cricketer, but it’s remarkable for boxers to walk out knowing 90,000 people are there to watch them. I admire them hugely but I wouldn’t want to be one – I don’t think I would last too long in the ring!
Who from your England team would be the best and worst boxers?
I think Freddie was the best and the worst!