WBA light-heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol claimed countrymen Alexander Povetkin must use his double left-hook, to beat Anthony Joshua.
Bivol is in the UK to support his fellow countrymen Povetkin and Sergey Kuzmin, who both compete tomorrow night (Saturday September 22).
Kuzmin will meet David Price, while Povetkin challenges for the WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles against champion Anthony Joshua, at Wembley stadium in London.
Povetkin enters the bout as an underdog, despite a career record of 34โ1 (24) with his sole loss coming against Wladimir Klitschko in what was a shutout defeat in 2013.
However, Bivol has urged his fellow Russian to use his โdouble left-hookโ along with his short over the top shots that caused Price to fall victim to a fifth round knockout in March.
โFirst of all Povetkin has a very good spirit, a very wild spirit,โ Bivol said
โSecond he has very good power, itโs heavyweight boxing. He can beat him, he can knock out him. He has a great left hook and right hook, most of all he has to fight Joshua in close and he should use his double hook. He has a great double left-hook, he should use this.
โOf course he is older than Joshua, but I believe in him, Iโm here to support him and Kuzmin. He can beat him, anyone can win a fight by knockout.โ
Former WBO cruiserweight world champion and now Sky Sports pundit Johnny Nelson, cited the keys to victory for Povetkin is to get in close to the taller Joshua, and again work on the powerful hooks the Russian possess.
โWhat he needs to do to win it is get in close, and get to AJโs chest,โ Nelson claimed.
โWhen Povetkin gets in close he needs to work the body and throw big right hands over the top, like we how he took out David Price.
โHe needs to use his physicality to put AJ under pressure, if he tries to box him long heโll lose it every day of the week, if he tries to time it and jump in heโll lose every day of the week.โ