Boxing: Armand Carlos Netsing Takam (born 6
December 1980), best known as Carlos Takam, is
a Cameroonian-French professional boxer and former WBC
Silver heavyweight champion.
As an amateur,
he represented Cameroon in the super heavyweight division
at the 2004 Olympics. 2003, at the All-Africa
Games in Abuja, Nigeria, Takam captured the bronze medal in his
weight division. He made his debut as a professional in France on December 10,
2005, when he defeated Zinidine Benmakhlouf of Belgium. He had a record of
17 wins, 0 losses, 0 draws and at 16 knockouts by the end of 2008.
Takam made
his HBO debut on 18 January 2014 against Cuban Mike Perez. The
fight started slow with little action in the first five rounds, however, Takam
took over starting in round six, as he planted his feet inside and was able to
work Perez over. The Cuban’s arms got heavier and heavier as the fight went on,
and he didn’t seem to have his usual snap or speed. Takam was able to hurt
Perez in round six and round ten. On 16 October 2017, Takam, 33 years old, was
made the replacement to fight Anthony Joshua when Joshua’s opponent Kubrat
Pulev pulled out with a shoulder injury. Since Takam and Nigerian born Anthony
Joshua’s bout has been fixed both countries have been taken sides. While
Cameroonians are all out rooting for their son Takam, the rave here in Nigeria
is not in anyway lesser.
Ahead of Saturday
when the centre stage will be set for the Nigerian-born Anthony Joshua to
defend his WBA and IBF heavyweight title against the Cameroonian-born French
boxer, the country is already agog with publicity and high spirit momentum. Nigerians
are anxiously looking forward to the bout with the same strong feeling they
have for football. Nigerians support the Super Eagles of Nigeria no matter who
their opponent is, and at what level. This explain the support Joshua is having
back home in Nigeria. Nigerians at Anthony Joshua’s hometown believes when
their son as he has threatened to target Carlos Takam’s body as he plots to
fight “in a phone box”.
The IBF and WBA
‘super’ heavyweight champion is four-and-a-half inches taller than his
late-notice opponent Takam this weekend in Cardiff, having initially prepared
to fight the much rangier Kubrat Pulev. “I’m
going to stand in front of [Takam] and gun his tree down because that’s what he
does,” Joshua exclusively told Sky Sports. “A fighter like him wants to
get on the inside and work you around the body. I can’t keep punching straight
if a fighter is on my chest, so I need to work on my inside game and stand in a
phone box. Those fights come down to will, heart and whoever wants it more. “He
disheartens you. Imagine throwing your best shots and they are still in front
of you. It’s disheartening. To do that for 12 rounds takes a lot of energy so
sometimes I’ll have to stand in front of him, trade him, and go to war. I need
to break his will, to break his heart.
“Takam keeps on
coming, keeps on coming. He works the body well and loves a left hook. I
already thought he was a game, well-rounded fighter so what is going to happen
when he comes here and has everything to take home with him? I’ll see an
improved Takam.” Cameroon-born Takam has been stopped just once in 39 fights,
by Alexander Povetkin, and the durable challenger was compared to a “block of
cement” by Joshua last week. The world heavyweight champion said: “With Pulev
it wasn’t about whipping him around the body, it was about staying off the line
and boxing down the middle. Carlos is different – he can trade down the middle.
My speed will beat his combinations. A good way to beat Carlos is to take his
body out, that’s what Povetkin did to him.”
Joshua added:
“[Takam] moves around a lot, and boxes well. As the rounds start going on he
likes to trade, and throw hooks on the inside. “I’ve had sparring partners who
have tried to knock me out, and I’ve had to dig in and give them some body
shots. So my inside game has definitely improved. If we stand on the inside and
start trading, it will be entertaining.” Joshua’s trainer Rob McCracken
confirmed they would revamp his final sparring sessions by bringing in training
partners who would replicate Takam’s physique. McCracken said: “Anthony is
good against shorter opponents, anyway.”
KweseTv has stormed
the Nigeria-home town of Joshua for a live broadcast of the fight. The much-anticipated bout is billed for
Saturday in Cardiff, Wales, and Kwese Tv would showcase the hometown of Joshua
and her indigenes to the world while also simultaneously beaming live the fight
in England. The General Manager, Kwese Free Sports Nigeria, Chichi Nwoko who
said this added that Kwese Tv would put in place a spectacular carnival-like
show to celebrate the fight and to commemorate Sagamu Day.
No comments:
Post a Comment