Anthony Joshua, the 34-year-old British heavyweight boxer, has opened up about the immense pain and hardship he’s endured over the past two years.
As he prepares to face Daniel Dubois for the IBF belt at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Joshua reflected on his journey back to contention.
“I’ve worked hard and been through a lot of pain, and I’ve worked hard to get better,” Joshua told BBC Sport. His emotional vulnerability stems from consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022, which left him in tears.
Joshua has since rebuilt and worked his way back to mandatory challenger position, boasting a four-fight winning streak, including a brutal knockout of Francis Ngannou. “I think I’m gifted with an ability to fight and compete,” Joshua said. “In boxing, you’re able to read certain tendencies, you’re able to read your opponent, so I can always have an eye for that.”
Joshua acknowledges that his skills have improved significantly over the past eight to 10 months. “But there’s a supreme level that you can take it to. And it’s happened over the past eight or 10 months. I’ve really honed in on those skills.” This newfound confidence will be crucial as he faces the hard-hitting Dubois.
The highly anticipated fight against Dubois presents an opportunity for Joshua to join boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, and Vitali Klitschko as a three-time world champion. A potential showdown with Tyson Fury looms on the horizon, but Joshua remains focused on the task at hand.
“He [Dubois] is a good fighter, a brilliant fighter,” Joshua said. “Everyone speaks highly of him. I think they underestimate me as well, so I will go out there and prove how good I am.”
The stage is set for an epic clash at Wembley Stadium, with a record-breaking 96,000 fans expected to attend. Joshua’s resilience and determination will be put to the test as he bids to reclaim his spot among the heavyweight elite.