ANTHONY JOSHUAโS path to world level has been unveiled. First he faces Dillian Whyte for the British heavyweight title on December 12. Heโll then target European champion Erkan Teper in March next 2016.
โBritish, European, that would be really good and then you go on to world,โ Joshua said, after winning the Commonwealth title on Saturday (September 12).
The heavy-handed German did knock out David Price earlier this year but Anthony considers Teper โno different. Just another opponentโ.
โHeโs that European style. Youโve got boxing or youโve got the ones that tuck up, walk forward and try and hit you with shots. Itโs adapting. With someone like that you donโt want to box with your chin in the air moving back because they swing over the top. Defend and counter. Do it enough times, sooner or later they stop coming forward, you put him back. Thatโs what Iโm saying, by the time Erkan Teper comes, I think Iโll be in a good place, boxing, in my mind, how to deal with someone like that so Iโm sure it wonโt be too difficult to defeat him,โ Joshua continued.
Winning the European crown would put him on course for a world title shot next year. โYouโve accomplished what youโve set out to do then. But whatever happens, whatever my team say, my job is be fit, be healthy, live the life, good promotion, make sure Iโm ready, getting on great cards. Coaches and that make sure I get the right fights to build me to a world title shot. Everyoneโs working together,โ Joshua said.
โIโm trying, trying hard. What will be will be.”
That path is unlikely to see him tackle David Haye, who has for a while now been considering coming out of retirement. โWeโre not looking at David Haye, weโre looking at progressing to a world title shot,โ said Joshuaโs promoter Eddie Hearn. โThatโs a fight that has some novelty value at the moment, I think itโs one of the toughest fights for Anthony. David Haye is a great fighter. But weโre looking at world titles and getting through David Haye doesnโt really apply to that strategy.โ
The clash with Dillian Whyte will generate interest. The Brixton man picked up a victory over his rival at a very early stage of their amateur careers and he would love to derail Joshuaโs passage to world glory.
โHeโs got his eye on the prize, thatโs a dangerous fighter, someone who wants to beat me is a very dangerous fighter. Iโm not looking above that. But I definitely would like to go on and achieve more than beating Dillian Whyte. So Iโve got to really focus on that, get him out the way and continue down the yellow brick road,โ Anthony said. โLet me win a world title. My ambitionโs a bit higher than Dillian Whyte. But Iโve got to focus on that fight. Trust me, Iโm going to deal with that boy so then I can move on.โ
Whyte already gleefully labeled Joshua a โfakeโ and a โgood-behaving punkโ, among other things, at a pre-fight press conference. The Olympic gold medallist insists he is not riled. โNo, because I get to fight him in December,โ Joshua said. โBut bring it on, youโll probably hear a bit more from me. The reason I donโt say much, I couldnโt overlook my fight with Cornish could I? My fight with Cornish was the most important thing and if you asked about Gary, I could answer it. Now if you ask about Dillian, because Iโm fighting Dillian youโll probably hear a lot more from me.โ
Joshua dealt with the Highlander in style on Saturday. It was quick, Cornish only just made it into the second half of the first round but it wasnโt the fastest victory ever for an English heavyweight over a Scotsman โ in 1949 Eddie Vann halted Glasgow’s George Stern in only 12 seconds.
Joshua may not be getting much time in the ring, but beyond the crowds he is putting the hours into training. โWith me the more time I have in the gym, the more time I have in boxing, the more relaxed and better I get. I think moving forward, the less I get hit the better, and the more Iโm hitting my opponent [the better]. Then I can move forward into tougher fights. Because if I get smashed up by these guys now, I donโt think weโll be talking about the next step,โ he said. โI have to do this to these guys to step up to world level.โ
With the next fights being lined up, itโs a step heโs ready to take. โYou get a date,โ Joshua said. โThen you get to prove yourself.โ