The best storylines in the fight game often revolve around vengeance.
Rematches so often translate to pay-per-view successes because fans tend to be understandably eager to see whether the defeated fighter can make the appropriate changes to gain revenge in the ring.
Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn was hopeful of having Anthony Joshua take on Wladimir Klitschko for a second time for that very reason and went through the stages to postpone the mandatory defences and potential unification bouts which were in front of ‘AJ’, only for Klitschko to decide to hang up his gloves instead.
Joshua is scheduled to take on Kubrat Pubev in Cardiff at the end of this month before he will likely eye up a clash with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder next summer.
And while it’s almost impossible for it to come to fruition given his age, 46, Vitali Klitschko would relish the chance to avenge his brother’s April defeat to Joshua.
“I miss boxing very much. Boxing stays always in my heart,” the older Klitschko told FightHub.tv.
“Together we’re stronger. I lost a fight against Chris Byrd. Wladimir came back and destroyed him, knocked him out. Wladimir lost a fight against Corrie Sanders, I knocked Corrie Sanders out next fight. Because I defend my brother.
“I have a feeling I can do it better, I have to defend and fight Joshua and bring back the belt to the family. I have a feeling if I go inside the ring, I knock him out but I can’t do it right now.”
Joshua and Vitali actually clashed at Wembley when a compliment from the Brit was lost in translation and resulted in a scuffle in the centre of the ring so there is previous between the pair.
'AJ' almost scrapped with two Klitschkos in the one night https://t.co/Fcjk5vk7Y0
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) May 10, 2017
And the Ukrainian still regrets delivering his corner advice which led to his brother taking his foot off the gas after he had Joshua hurt earlier this year.
“I feel guilty because I told Wladimir in the corner please don’t be so active,” Vitali added. “In round number six Wladimir sent Joshua to the floor. I expected with such big muscles an athlete never to recover, I was surprised.
“Joshua recovered so fast and stopped Wladimir. If I hadn’t stopped my brother, in my opinion Wladimir would have knocked him out, maybe in round seven.”
