In a recent exclusive interview with Fight Hype, former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, he gave us some insight into his mindset, his upcoming rematch with Dillian Whyte, and his perspective on the state of heavyweight boxing.
“What does beating Dillian White for the second time in our rematch do for you at this stage of your career and your legacy?”
The 34-year-old boxer replied,
“Training when you’re fighting someone that’s on your mind every day…you train, so it does a lot for my preparation. If I win in spectacular fashion, I think it’s a massive confidence booster.”
Questioned about the apparent downturn in heavyweight boxing’s fortunes compared to the overall boom in boxing, Joshua opined,
“The rest of the top five – Fury, Wilder, Usyk, Ruiz – none of these guys have even fought so far this year. The division has changed a bit… people are taking time out.”
He suggests that the shift towards heavier weights and increased media scrutiny might be causing some boxers to take a break.
When asked about his future plans and ensuring Wilder and Fury are next on his fight list, Joshua responded,
“Winning and losing just bring bargaining power to the negotiation table, but it should never dictate whether you fight a fighter or not because everyone’s still got a chance. So, I’ll fight these guys for sure.”
On Errol Spence’s recent loss, Joshua revealed,
“I believe that’s not the Errol we know. But I think they should have confidence in themselves knowing in the rematch, if they get whatever happened in the training camp right, they’ll be able to give Bud a much tougher fight.”
He suggests that Spence’s loss may not have been entirely due to lack of skill but could have been influenced by factors during the training camp. However, he is confident that Spence will bounce back.
“Errol didn’t land on his back, he got stopped on his feet…Run it back, let’s go again. I think they should definitely go again. I don’t think he should retire.”
“I rate Terence Crawford before this fight but he’s an elite fighter and so is Errol.”
Lastly, asked to compare the boxing culture between the UK and the US, Joshua said,
“America just has so much more history…a lot of the people from the era passed information on which is still around today…I think they work a lot harder.”
He acknowledges that the UK has had its share of boxing stars, but America’s deep history in the sport, coupled with its intense work ethic, seems to give it an edge.
Full interview:
