By: Sean Crose
“It will happen,” former heavyweight title runner Anthony Joshua recently told DAZN about his fight with the WBC and heavyweight champion athlete Tyson Fury. “Let’s go. Same generation. Speaking to Ade Oladipo, the towering English player was outspoken while presenting himself as highly responsive. Although the interview shows that Joshua’s team is uncomfortable with signing fellow hopeful Brit Fury, Joshua doesn’t have many bad things to say about the individual known as the Gypsy King. Joshua said: “He was a fighter and he wanted to fight. “No matter who’s watching, he just wants to fight, and so do I.”
Joshua’s final foray in the ring did not end well for him, as he was defeated in a climactic rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, who had lifted his belt about a year earlier. Joshua acted strangely immediately after his loss in the rematch in August, as was evident from his lengthy statements inside the ring after the umpires ruled in favor of Usik. However, in recognition of his merit, Joshua made it clear to Oladipo that he was not in good shape at the time. “You saw after that last battle,” he said. “I swear to you, it tore me to pieces.”
Certainly, Joshua is determined to prove himself the better in his rematch against Usyk, just as he was when he faced Andy Ruiz for the second time a few years earlier. Joshua beat Ruiz for the second time, avenging his injury-time loss to the Mexican-American. However, history will not repeat itself when it comes to the Usyk rematch. “I’ve been through a lot,” he said of the second game against Usyk, “for me, the England fans, the fight is indisputable, it really tore me apart.”
Although, as a fighter, Joshua feels his body will return to the ring sooner rather than later after last summer’s loss, those close to him feel differently. Joshua said: “My close friends are telling me ‘you should take a mental break’. “Physically, I have to fight. I am a warrior. I like this game. I like competition”. Joshua has made it clear that fighting games actually take a fee. “It was difficult,” he said. “Trying to do this and do it right as we’ve seen in recent weeks, it’s not easy.”
It’s not that Joshua feels it’s over. “I still have goals and goals to achieve and achieve,” he said. “I love fighting good opponents… I’ve always felt it was important for me to fight the best of my time.” Far worse than Fury, Joshua feels a fighter doesn’t have to be a performer to be successful. “It’s not popularity that makes you a good fighter,” he said, “it’s how good a boxer you are.”
“I just like taking risks,” he insists.
