Having played a major part in guiding British boxing to new heights, Anthony Joshua remains one of the biggest superstars in the sport.
After winning Gold at the 2012 London Olympics, the hometown hero turned over to the pro ranks and won the British title in his fifteenth bout against Dillian Whyte. One fight later he continued his perfect knockout streak against Charles Martin to win the IBF World title.
Unifications against Wladimir Klitschko and Joseph Parker put him one belt away from his goal of being undisputed, but a shock loss to challenger Andy Ruiz Jr set that back a ways. Joshua would win the immediate rematch and defeat Kubrat Pulev next but lose two on the bounce to Oleksandr Usyk – the man who managed achieved that four-belt status this year.
‘AJ’ has spoken at length about his heroes in the sport, the likes of Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali in the heavyweight division, but it’s a smaller fighter with an undefeated record he says stands in a league of his own.
In a feature with Men’s Health, the two-time heavyweight champ praised Floyd Mayweather as the person ‘everyone in boxing wants to be.’ He then explained why.
Mayweather is now on the exhibition circuit after racking up 50 wins and zero losses as a pro. The biggest box office star boxing has seen, the 47-year-old changed the game in many ways.
With wins over Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to name but a few, the American became a beacon many young fighters look towards, although the focus on his undefeated record has, some say, made matchmaking in the sport a little less ambitious.
Joshua returns to the ring on September 21, challenging IBF Champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium for the chance to become a three-time heavyweight champion.
