Battle for Joshua’s fate
Boxing superstar jeopardizes his career
03/30/2023, 1:25 p.m
Anthony Joshua steps into the ring for a build-up fight after a disappointing few years – the stakes are high for the former heavyweight champion. Joshua even seemed to have made friends with a possible retirement.
With a petrified expression, Anthony Joshua sat down in front of the assembled journalists, and the boxing superstar rarely cracked a smile over his lips at the press conference. Joshua knows about the immense pressure that weighs on his muscular shoulders on Saturday – and he relentlessly lays the consequences of a possible defeat on the table. “I will retire if I lose,” announced the former two-time heavyweight champion.
On Saturday (10 p.m. / DAZN) the Briton will face the American Jermaine Franklin in the London O2 Arena for a build-up fight in the ring – and makes everything else dependent on the outcome. “I’m just happy to get back to work,” said Joshua, who lost the WBA, WBO and IBF titles to Alexander Usyk in 2021 and also lost to the Ukrainian in the rematch last year.
Joshua (24 wins in 27 fights, three defeats) seemed to have already made friends with a possible retirement. “You put so much pressure on me, when I’m done the chains will be gone. I’ll laugh and love life,” said the 33-year-old, who described his critics as “clowns”. Just a few years ago Joshua seemed invincible, in 2017 he sent Wladimir Klitschko into boxing retirement in a sensational fight.
“Fury needs me right now”
However, his descent began in June 2019 with the completely surprising knockout defeat against the American Andy Ruiz Jr., he regained his belt in the rematch. But the defeats against Usyk left their mark, “AJ” celebrated his last win in 2020 against the Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev. “If people want me to stop, then I’ll stop. I won’t fight if people don’t want it,” said Joshua, who was self-confident before the fight against Franklin (21 wins in 22 fights): ” It’s the worst time to fight me.”
If Joshua wins as expected, a showdown against world champion and compatriot Tyson Fury, whose unification fight with Usyk had recently burst, could await. “Fury needs me at the moment. There is no better time,” said Joshua, who could return to the boxing throne – but first have to avert the end of his career on Saturday.