EXCLUSIVE Victory over Kevin Johnson will put Anthony Joshua on course for Dillian Whyte and David Price

strength and conditioning

KEVIN JOHNSON, Anthony Joshuaโ€™s antagonist tonight (May 30) at the O2 Arena in London, has provided light relief over the course of the week building up to the big show. An off the wall presence at the press conference, deciding to check Joshuaโ€™s heartrate at yesterdayโ€™s weigh-in. The Londoner has remained calm in the face of him, though Anthony would surely relish becoming the first man to stop the abrasive โ€œKingpinโ€.

โ€œHeโ€™s from America, very confident, thatโ€™s what I was expecting and thatโ€™s just what heโ€™s like,โ€ Joshua told Boxing News.

He promises to bring a professional approach to the fight though. โ€œIโ€™ll take pleasure in defeating a world champion. I canโ€™t really look at Johnson and take pleasure in defeating someone like that because heโ€™s not the best in the world, is he? I canโ€™t really get too frustrated or too carried away with someone like Johnson. Iโ€™ve just got to keep my head on my shoulders and just get him out the way. Treat him like any other opponent,โ€ he said.

Joshua is part of a generation of quality prospects, auditioning to become the next stars in British boxing. โ€œWeโ€™re all part of the wave,โ€ Anthony said, though he tips a fellow London 2012 gold medallist as the man to watch. โ€œLuke Campbell stands out for me,โ€ he adds. โ€œSo much experience and defeated great, great amateurs, at international level he proved himself.โ€

Johnson may be the sternest test of his professional career but victory should see Joshua embark on exciting run of domestic clashes. Dillian Whyte could fight Joshua in September and David Price could take him on in the relatively near future. โ€œI love the Price versus Joshua fight,โ€ said Anthonyโ€™s promoter Eddie Hearn. โ€œWeโ€™re not talking about waiting two years, weโ€™re talking about six months and then Joshuaโ€™s going to be in all the big fights. And how good is it going to be when Joshuaโ€™s in big fights? Thatโ€™s when boxingโ€™s going to go to another level because he can transcend the sport, no doubt about that.

โ€œOne more in July and then weโ€™re off the leash, whether itโ€™s Price, whether itโ€™s Dillian Whyte, whether itโ€™s [Dereck] Chisora, one of those will be in the ring in September then thatโ€™s it. Thereโ€™s no turning back.

โ€œWe donโ€™t know how good Anthony Joshua is or will be. I think he is the best prospect weโ€™ve ever had. I think he could be phenomenal. Until heโ€™s in these fights we donโ€™t know, do we? What if he fights David Price and gets beat? I canโ€™t see it. David Price can punch. Dillian Whyte, I see that as an easy fight for Joshua. Heโ€™s going to be game. I just think itโ€™s like different levels. Price is a tougher fight.

โ€œI love the Dillian Whyte fight because as a promoter itโ€™s got everything you need, you can sit down and have a press conference and you can talk about their old [amateur] fight.

“We’re only a couple of months away from really finding out what we’ve got.โ€

WATCH ANTHONY JOSHUA AND KEVIN JOHNSON HIT THE SCALES HERE

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