Anthony Joshua excited to follow in the footsteps of Ricky Hatton

ANTHONY JOSHUA says he cannot wait to fight at the Phones 4u Arena in Manchester on September 13, live on Sky Sports.
The Olympic heavyweight sensation was set to fight on the Dublin bill on August 30, but after that was postponed, the Manchester fight fans now benefit, with Joshua fighting in the city for the first time as a pro.
The 24-year-old has boxed in London, Glasgow, Sheffield, Cardiff and Liverpool, and he takes his KO roadshow back to the north-west as Scott Quigg defends his WBA world super-bantamweight title against former world champion Paulus Ambunda, while Anthony Crolla defends his WBO International lightweight title against Gamaliel Diaz.
“I am really looking forward to fighting at the Phones 4u Arena,” said Joshua. “It’s a really iconic venue for British boxing with those great nights for Ricky Hatton, so to add my name to the list of great fighters to perform there is a great feeling.
“It’s a cracking bill with Scott Quigg’s world title fight on there and Anthony Crolla is on the move too, he’s a great fighter, probably the most underrated guy in Britain, so I am hoping to get out there and watch them do their thing.
“Obviously though my focus is on my fight, my eighth as a pro now and I really feel that I am beginning to bed into the pro game and I think I’ll start showing that in this fight. The extra fortnight won’t affect me, I have had some good sparring recently so I am in a good place and ready to explode.
“I was excited to be fighting in Dublin as I got a great reception at the press conference there and hopefully I can get on the bill when the date is rescheduled later in the year.”
Joshua’s eighth pro outing is part of a great line-up of action in Manchester alongside Quigg and Crolla, as Scotty Cardle faces Kirk Goodings for the English lightweight title in a British title eliminator.
Sam Eggington will face Manchester’s Denton Vassell in a British welterweight title eliminator with Sam Hyde, Gamal Yafai, Jack Massey and Liam Hanrahan all set for action.