Fight to equal crowd record

LONDON. – The largest British boxing crowd for nearly 80 years will watch Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight title fight against Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium in April after promoters struck a deal with London’s Mayor.

Crowds are usually capped at 80 000 for transport network capacity reasons but an attendance of 90 000 is expected for the contest in which Joshua’s IBF title and the vacant WBA Super and IBO heavyweight belts are up for grabs.

It would match the record 90 000 attendance for the Len Harvey versus Jock McAvoy bout at London’s White City in 1939.

“(London Mayor) Sadiq (Khan) urged me to bring the biggest fights to the city and I’m delighted to have the biggest fight in British boxing history at Wembley,” Eddie Hearn told the BBC.

“I can’t wait to see the fight of the year here in London and it’s fantastic that a post-war record crowd will get to watch it at a world-class venue like Wembley,” said Khan.

“I’m delighted Transport for London and Network Rail have pulled out all the stops to make this happen so we can move 90 000 people around the capital quickly and safely.

“Like me, they have recognised the importance to the capital of staging this epic showdown of the best two fighters in the heavyweight division and I look forward to our great city staging more great fights in the future.”

“I want to thank Wembley, TfL and Brent Council and particularly Sadiq Khan, who has fought our corner to ensure a capacity crowd will get the opportunity to watch this event live in the capital,” said Eddie Hearn.

“At the boxing writers’ dinner last year, Sadiq urged me to bring the biggest fights possible to the city and I’m delighted to have the biggest fight in British boxing history at Wembley Stadium on April 29.”

London 2012 Olympic champion Joshua has taken the division by storm since turning professional, winning all his 18 fights by knockout. Former champion Klitschko, who will be 41 in March, has 64 wins and four defeats in his 20-year career.

The Ukrainian was unbeaten for 11 years before losing to Britain’s Tyson Fury in 2015. – Reuters.