On April 29th, Anthony Joshua defends his IBF World heavyweight title against the belt's previous long-reigning owner, Wladimir Klitschko.
One of the most eagerly anticipated heavyweight showdowns in recent memory will be broadcast on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and Ireland, and either the Klitschko-affiliated HBO or Showtime, with whom Joshua recently penned a tv deal, in the States.
The landmark event at Wembley Stadium provides boxing fans with the perfect crossover battle; Klitschko, now 40, has won 64 of his 68 professional contests (53 KOs), including 19 consecutive world title fights between 2006 and his 2015 defeat to Tyson Fury. Incidentally, he hasn't fought since that unanimous decision defeat in November 2015.
Joshua is 18-0 with 18 knockouts since turning professional in 2013, and is unquestionably the sport's most transcendent figure on this side of the pond.
His fight with Klitshcko, however, is massive new on either side of the Atlantic, and tensions came to the fore on an episode of James Corden's Late Late Show in the States.
Londoner Corden is a close friend of Joshua, who in the past has joined the comedian-slash-presenter on Sky One's A League Of Their Own. One of his guests this week, however, was actress Hayden Panattiere, who just so happens to be married to Wladimir Klitschko.
The link was not lost on Corden, who addressed the elephant in the room without hesitation. It was a fairly amusing exchange - except, perhaps, Corden's imitation of an unconscious Klitschko in front of the Ukrainian boxing legend's wife which, when you consider what Panattiere will go through at ringside on April 29th, seemed a tad flippant even if unintentionally so.
The 27-year-old Nashville star, however, is more than confident that her husband can derail the Joshua hype train next month.
The whole chat was a tad surreal, but Eddie Hearn will be licking his lips at the free promotion on a major US tv talk show.
