Watford’s Joshua ready for first title fight

Garston’s Anthony Joshua will have his first heavyweight title fight when he takes on Denis Bakhtov for the WBC International belt at the O2 in London on October 11. Bakhtov is a two-time holder of the WBC title and recently claimed an eight-round win over German Konstantin Alrich, who Joshua will come up against in Manchester on September 13. “I believe that the time is right for Anthony to step up and fight for his first title,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “He has an important clash with Airich in Manchester in September, and when he comes through that, he will be ready to face Bakhtov in what promises to be a cracking contest.” Joshua’s fight with Alrich on September 13 promises to be a tough one against the Kazakh-born German heavyweight who has won 21 of his 35 fights. “This fight signifies the first real step up for Anthony,” said Hearn. “Airich has plenty of experience at the top level, he’s a lively competitor and can punch. Anthony is fresh from his visit to spar Wladimir Klitschko and fans in Manchester can expect an explosive performance.”