SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR 2018: ANTHONY JOSHUA: Boxing’s golden boy

LONG before he made his professional debut on October 5, 2013 beating Italian Emanuelue Leo by a Technical Knockout (TKO) in the first round, Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua had announced his emergence with eye-catching performances in the amateur ranks. Many who saw him prepare for fights in his amateur days, marvelled at the articulate nature of this training regime. He could pass for a fighter planning to take over the boxing world.

He did take over the boxing world but the rise was well-planned by a team that was dedicated to that course. Astute boxing promoter, Eddie Hearn, who is the group Managing Director of Matchroom Sports, a company founded by his father, became the major pillar behind Joshua’s rise to stardom. Hearn, who is also a director, Professional Dart Corporation in England, made sure that his prodigy was not rushed into any big fight earlier in his career. What Joshua needed at that time, were fights that would put him in the right frame in the professional ranks.

However, the way Joshua dispatched his opponents left many in awe, but they wondered if he wasn’t a flash in the pan. And the fact that he didn’t trash-talk like most of his peers left some boxing buffs doubting his ability. He stuck to his trade like a baby will hold on to his new toy. He knew what he wanted and trusted his team to take him to the top of his career.

Like a showman looking for the best stage to dazzle his audience, Joshua chose the 2012 Olympics Games in London to announce himself to the world. Despite defeating the World and reigning Olympic Champion, Roberto Cammarelle at the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championship in Baku, Azerbaijan, he was still regarded as a novice at London Games. However, he defeated some of the best fighters to win gold in the heavyweight division.

Some of his victims and their managers felt he enjoyed undue favour from the officials to win gold but like a focused athlete who was painstakingly plotting his way to the top, Joshua did not respond to this insinuation but relished the moment and was also looking for the best time to make his debut in the professional ranks.

After amassing enough experience in the pro ranks beating the likes of Kevin Johnson, Michael Sprott and Dennis Bakhtov, Joshua had his first shot at a title fight when he took on Gary Cornish for the Commonwealth Heavyweight title. Like he had done in previous fights, he dispatched Cornish in 90 seconds in the first round. Cornish was knocked down twice before the fight was officially stopped.

In the post-fight, Joshua said, “Gary had a solid jab so I had to make sure I didn’t take any of those shots. He was throwing a large jab and I tried to slip it. I managed to land the right hand and it was a perfect connection and he went down.” The victory earned Joshua his first title.

Immediately after Joshua stopped Cornish, Hearn confirmed Dillian Whyte would next put his undefeated record on the line against Joshua. Joshua met Whyte in a grudge match for the vacant British heavyweight title on December 12, 2015, whilst also defending his Commonwealth heavyweight title for the first time. The two had previously fought within the amateur rankings in 2009 where Whyte had won.

After surviving the first scare of his career in the second round, Joshua won the fight after initially shaking Whyte with a right hook to the temple and eventually finishing with a devastating uppercut for the knockout in the seventh round. It was said that Joshua earned £3 million for this fight alone, as a result of signing a new five-year deal with Matchroom which sees him take a share of the PPV revenue earned.

On April 9, 2016, Joshua defeated Charles Martin to add the IBF title to his collection. The win came via a second round knockout, ending Martins 85-days reign, the second shortest in professional boxing, with only Tony Tucker 1987 reign being shorter. Joshua also beat Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina to hold on to his titles and setting up a possible fight against Wladimir Klitschko.

Expectedly, it was the biggest fight in Joshua’s career. His fans and foes wanted to see how he would fight against the Ukranian who is known for his hard punches. In front of a post-war record crowd of 90,000 in attendance, Joshua won by TKO in a high-drama war that saw both men giving their all. They fought a close and cautious first four rounds. In the fifth, Joshua came out roaring and barraged Klitschko to the canvas.

An angry Klitschko rose up and dominated Joshua for the remainder of the round, battering him and scoring his own knockdown in round six. The next few rounds were again cautious, both men wary of each other, until a reinvigorated Joshua attacked Klitschko in round 11, sending him to the canvas. Klitschko again rose but Joshua knocked him down for a second time in the round, he then sent a barrage of punches while Klitschko was against the ropes that made the referee stop the fight.

The year 2018 remains a good one for Joshua after wins over Tony Parker and Alexander Povetkin to stretching his record 22 wins from 22 fights (21 KOs). He holds four world titles – WBO, IBF, WBA and IBO and waiting to add the WBC belt, held by America’s Deontay Wilder, to his collection. Just like he had been doubted many times in his career, some feels that he fall to the America. Joshua knows how to reply his critics – and that his with his power-packed punches.

After several failed attempts to seal a deal for the Joshua/Deontay fight, the WBC champions opted to fight gipsy King, Tyson Fury, a fight which ended in a draw but greatly exposed the shortcoming of Wilder. His big right hand failed him against Fury with the Briton standing up twice from a knockdown to win the admiration of boxing fans all over the world, having suffered from mental health issues for over two years and just returning to the ring six month ago against Seferi in Manchester.

Despite a rematch between Deontay and Fury fixed for April, Joshua says he wants to fight WBC heavyweight champion the same month and has told the American: “I’m running the game.” Wilder had earlier accused Joshua of “begging” for a fight. Joshua said he wasn’t interested in fighting fury.

The 29-year-old is yet to confirm an opponent for his next fight on April 13 at Wembley Stadium, with his promoter Eddie Hearn saying “it comes down to what Wilder wants to do.”

Joshua told ESPN: “I’m willing to fight Deontay Wilder on 13 April in London. I don’t know what more I need to do to get that message across. He’s more interested in fighting Tyson Fury. Fury holds no world titles. I’ve booked the date in advance, booked the venue in advance. I want to make my point clear in front of everyone – I’m willing to fight any one of these guys, especially the champion, Wilder.

“I’m the one leading the pack since I made my debut. Five years in, several title defences and I’m running the game. I mean business. I don’t know what more I need to do to get that message across to the world. I can handle my business and I’m willing to do that in the ring.”

While the world eagerly awaits the Joshua/Deontay showdown next year, it is clear the Joshua who holds four world titles remains the man to beat and the one who calls the shot in the division.