After just 18 bouts as a pro, all either quick or mid-rounds quick, KO wins, Anthony Joshua is ready for his “defining fight.” The big, record-breaking sell-out showdown between he and former king Wladimir Klitschko on April 29 will define the remainder of Joshua’s career, certainly – and AJ is hugely motivated to win.
“I tried to play it down, I’m quite like that – ‘It’s only another fight’,” Joshua said on the enormity of the upcoming fight when speaking with Sky Sports News HQ. “But emotionally you will always change how you feel about something. I’m going into the stage, emotionally, where this is my defining fight. I’ve done what I had to do to become [IBF] champion, which is great. But when we talk about defining fights, this is one that could change the perspective of my credibility within my industry. That’s why this fight is important.”Joshua added how this fight will contest, “The heavyweight championship.” If AJ can win, he will arguably become THE heavyweight champion in the eyes of most people. Deontay Wilder is of course the WBC ruler, and Joseph Parker the WBO, but unless the never beaten Tyson Fury returns to reclaim his previous status as the universally accepted and lineal champ, then the April 29 winner will be the main man in the opinion of many millions of fans.The fight could be a defining fight for Klitschko, though. If the 41-year-old can regain the title (or two of the belts he lost to Tyson Fury) his career will have a whole other dimension to it. And a Wladimir win would be a great comeback. For Joshua, if he does lose, say via close decision, he is young enough to come again.
But if the Londoner who captured Olympic gold in 2012 can beat Klitschko, his already enormous popularity and credibility will absolutely skyrocket. The pressure on both men must be quite something heading into this big fight. Klitschko has of course experienced plenty of massive fights and the pressures they bring before, but will Joshua be able to handle it all on the night?
A great case can be made for either man winning the fight that will play out before over 80,000 fans.
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