ANTHONY JOSHUA is at a stage in his career where he is trying to find the right mix to become a heavyweight champion once again.
The 33-year-old will have his second fight under new trainer Derrick James on August 26 against old rival Dillian Whyte. Eight years ago, Joshua got the better of his old rival in a combustible scrap which ended with a seventh-round stoppage win for โAJโ.
Joshua is a few months away from having completed 10 years as a professional fighter which has brought him the British title and multiple belts at world level. The Watford born superstar will take part in his 29th bout when he faces Whyte but last time out Joshua was nowhere near his best when he defeated Jermaine Franklin.
This week the former heavyweight ruler was a guest on the Boxing News podcast โ The Opening Bell. The 2012 Olympic Gold medallist spoke about the Franklin fight and gave a blunt assessment of his performance.
โIt was shit but Iโd been through so much and I was still going through so much in that Franklin fight,โ he admitted.
โI knew it wasnโt as good as what it could be not because of any reason itโs just I was going through a lot, and I think Iโve cleared all of that off my conscience.โ
For Joshua and trainer Derrick James all that mattered was getting the victory at the end of the night.
โThat was the most important thing,โ the fighter said.
โJust win. Donโt get hit. My body had taken so much trauma. Even the sparring I was still in that donโt get hit vibe. Iโve taken so much punishment over the years with sparring. My bodyโs healed now. In the Franklin fight I was sparring more cautiously now itโs like letโs go motherfucker. Letโs fucking go. And digging deep. In that Franklin fight I think we only done three twelve rounders, two twelve rounders. But now weโre doing 12 on Monday, 12 on Wednesday, 12 on the Saturday. Fuck it letโs go. Hopefully itโll pay off. Iโve got to dig deep but I donโt know where itโll take me.โ
Joshua knows that Deontay Wilder is the dangling carrot should he defeat Whyte once again next month. For so many years the Brit and the American have been continuously linked to fighting one another and once or twice it has looked close to happening. Joshuaโs promoter Eddie Hearn appears more confident than ever that they will fight, in the Middle East, later this year or early next.
Boxing News editor Matt Christie asked Joshua if all the Wilder talk is a distraction.
โIt always has been,โ he answered.
โDo you know what Iโm glad as well because people can see now that there are people that create hiccups and hurdles. Itโs not just always I donโt wanna fight Wilder. Before it was like people thinking oh AJโs ducking or he doesnโt want to fight. Itโs annoying. It was a big risk then as well, but I wouldโve taken the fight.
โIf you look at my career you can see that Iโve always wanted to fight whoever really at any point if that be Joseph Parker, Klitschko, Charles Martin, Dillian Whyte for the British. How can I not wanna fight Wilder? We collected all the belts. I never fought one guy for them. I went and fought everyone for them, but it was annoying, yeah, very annoying. Now Iโm not really interested in having a conversation about Wilder until itโs real. Iโve done all that previously.โ