Sunday 30 April 2017 11:13, UK
Wladimir Klitschko has not ruled out a rematch with Anthony Joshua but after such a brutal fight and having recently turned 41, will the former heavyweight king carry on? The Panel were in complete agreement...
I am sure he would like to come and I put on a great show tonight but for me, I would like him to see him walk out. He has been a great fighter and a great heavyweight and he did himself proud. I've got to say I would like to see him walk away with his head held high. People know what he has done in this sport and that's what I will remember him for.
I don't think Wlad will come back. That was punishing, it really was. It was punishing for Anthony as well and he was one punching away but when you're 41 and have £100million, it's different. I am not in any position to tell anyone of his calibre because he's a living legend, but I would like to see him sit down, evaluate this and not fight again.
I do think people would like to see him have a rematch and if you look at it, he was ahead - or was on my card - when it ended, but it's hard to say. For Wladimir, his career and what he has achieved, I would like him to say 'that's it'. He came very close to beating a young lion but if he does have a rematch and Joshua improves and stops him early, then his legacy is tarnished. If he goes out on that, his legacy remains right up there.
We said we were going to see the best of the last Wlad and that's exactly what we got. If you're as old as he is, you want to go out on your shield and that is what he did and showed us how to do it. A younger Klitschko would've got Joshua out of there, but that's why they took it and it paid off. He can go out on that shield and I hope he does.
What an example! A 41-year-old with great footwork, speed, using all the tricks in the book and all of it was on point. He has put AJ in his place at times, slowed it right down, but I think he will call it a day. His brother called him to do it after the Fury fight and Vitali isn't allowed in his training camp anymore, for that reason. Wladimir will know he got hurt, more than once and badly, and I just can't see him doing it again.
