Wednesday 20 September 2017 12:54, UK
Anthony Joshua has lent his support to fellow Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell who challenges for Jorge Linares’ world title this weekend.
The British pair each won the top prize on home soil at London 2012 but Campbell, aiming to replicate Joshua's world title win, must travel to California to face WBA lightweight king Linares on Saturday night at 2am, live on Sky Sports Main Event.
"I spoke to Luke, and he's focused. He's spent seven weeks in America with his coach. He's got a good chance of beating Linares," Joshua exclusively told Sky Sports.
Linares has pedigree as a professional but Luke is a dark horse. He's definitely got the capability of beating Jorge Linares.
"Linares is phenomenal, and still is. But I look at the time that Kevin Mitchell fought him - he was doing well until he cut his eye.
"Anthony Crolla needed to keep his head off the centre-line as he was coming forward. He got hit too often and just couldn't pull off the win. He put up a great show.
"Luke is cuter because he's got that amateur pedigree. He's working with a Cuban coach [Jorge Rubio] which will add to his game.
"Linares has pedigree as a professional but Luke is a dark horse. He's definitely got the capability of beating Jorge Linares."
Campbell, the third Brit to fight Linares after Mitchell and Crolla (twice) failed to beat him, narrowly avoided Hurricane Irma during his east coast training camp before heading towards California.
Joshua will defend his IBF and WBA 'super' heavyweight titles against Kubrat Pulev at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on October 28, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Watch Luke Campbell challenge for Jorge Linares' world title, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sport Action, from 3am on Sunday,
