Anthony Joshua’s adult life, as he’s gone from petty criminal to amateur standout to Olympic gold medalist to professional king to ex-champ, and now to rejuvenated contender, says plenty about the levels of determination and dedication that lies within. Throughout the transitions, which thus far span 15 years, the man from Watford, England, has secured his financial future, become a crossover celebrity and sponsorship magnet, yet there is little evidence that Joshua is ready to call it a day.
On Saturday night the British superstar will headline Wembley Stadium for the third time in his career as a markedly wiser boxer than the one who appeared at the same venue for the first time in April 2017. Back then, though IBF champion, his experience at the top level was dwarfed by that of his opponent, Wladimir Klitschko. It was a fight and experience that we can now retrospectively identify as being a pivotal moment and, seven and a bit years later, he’s the comparative veteran alongside the rising Daniel Dubois.
However, though boxers do change and develop, certain fallibilities are all but impossible to kick and old weaknesses can never truly be eradicated. Here, in chronological order, are the five most revealing events from the professional career of Anthony Joshua.
Clocked by Dillian Whyte
One of those so-called grudge matches had been brewing between Joshua and Whyte since the latter had gotten the better of the former in an old 2009 amateur affair. They came together as professionals in December 2015, at London’s O2 Arena, with Whyte boasting a 16-0 (13 KOs) record and the favored and hyped Joshua, while amassing a spotless 14-0 ledger, had only once got as far as the third round.
Joshua was determined to put on a show and looked only a few punches away from halting his rival early as Whyte felt their force in the opening round. As the frame ended, neither fighter held back, punches were exchanged after the bell as the entourages of both ended up in the ring, and the fighters had to be prised apart.
With battleplans forsaken in the name of bragging rights, Joshua opened the second with destruction at the forefront of his mind. While on the attack, carelessly and cockily, he was clocked by a counter left hook, his legs jerking and jiving beneath him. For several moments it looked like Joshua was ready to go and, though Whyte couldn’t quite find the blows to finish off his wounded foe, the sight of the Olympic champion tottering around the ring birthed concerns about his chin that remain today.
By the fifth, Joshua had regained control and he won thanks to a brutal uppercut in the seventh. His susceptibility to heavy blows was clear, but his ability to land even weightier ones meant he came through his first genuine test.
The Great Klitschko War
Though Joshua had graduated to IBF belt-holder, thrashing Charles Martin then defending twice against Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina, the step up to former king Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017 was a significant one. A sold-out Wembley Stadium was a nod to Joshua’s incredible appeal yet not even those paying top whack for ringside seats could have expected the thriller they would witness.
Klitschko, who enjoyed playing the wise old master in the build-up, held his own until he was bundled to the mat early in the fifth. Joshua, while showcasing his lack of experience, roared in celebration – using up valuable reserves in the process – before an unhurt Klitschko regained his footing and turned the fight on its head. By the end of the session, a visibly exhausted Joshua was under fire and on the canvas in the sixth when his legs collapsed after he was jackpotted with every ounce of Klitschko’s considerable might.
That Joshua not only got up, but also survived the resultant storm, was arguably every bit as revealing as the events that led to his fall. By the ninth, Joshua was back in it and bullishly went for the finish in the 11th. A supreme uppercut from the Briton triggered the end, two Klitschko falls followed, before the veteran was rescued on the ropes.
Joshua still references the hell he endured in this unforgettable contest as a place he never wants to revisit.
Andy Ruiz Jr. rivalry
Joshua was markedly more reserved after the Klitschko slugfest when stopping Carlos Takam late, out-prodding Joseph Parker and halting a fading Alexander Povetkin. Yet nobody foresaw the impending disaster that occurred against Andy Ruiz Jr. in June 2019 inside New York’s Madison Square Garden.
As is often the case with upsets, however, the clues were everywhere. Joshua seemed distracted throughout fight week as he answered questions about Deontay Wilder, appeared to be nursing a bruise under his eye and even let the unfancied Ruiz – not the most imposing physical specimen Joshua had encountered – borrow his belts for photos at the final pre-fight presser.
Joshua scored a knockdown in round three, again dispensed with the required care and attention and found himself floored twice in the same session. It was all over halfway through the seventh as Joshua failed to respond to the referee’s instructions after two more trips to the mat.
To his credit, Joshua demanded an immediate return. It took place in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, six months later. The former champion, showing restraint and improved versatility, boxed perfectly to dominate Ruiz, winning a lopsided decision after 12 rounds. However, Ruiz spilling his blancmange belly all over his shorts as he removed his gown at the start remains the most memorable sight of the evening.
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The Oleksandr Usyk effect
When it became clear that a showdown with Tyson Fury would have to be shelved, Joshua opted to fill his diary with the most dangerous of mandatories, Oleksandr Usyk. That desire to fight the best is a trait for which he deserves praise.
The former cruiserweight king challenged Joshua at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September 2021 and though the heavyweight titlist was the favorite, it was clear in the early going that his plans to outbox the cultured southpaw was a mixture of poor planning and an overestimation of his own skillset. Joshua, clearly the bigger man, had his moments but was all at sea in the last round, clinging on to hear the decision rightly go against him.
Joshua, again, opted for a quick sequel to put wrongs right. It took place 11 months later, in Jeddah, and though the former champion put forth an admirable effort, one better than in London, Usyk was again clearly the superior fighter. After losing on the cards, Joshua – in a moment of concussed frustration – dumped the belts out of the ring and unleashed a rambling speech as he struggled to come to terms with another convincing defeat.
The restoration job
Let’s not forget how easy it would have been for Joshua to walk away after losing twice to Usyk. But 2023-24 was when Joshua, while juggling different teachers, decided to go back to school. After failing to impress against Jermaine Franklin in a forgettable 12-rounder, he put Robert Helenius to sleep in seven rounds then bludgeoned Otto Wallin in five. In March this year he exposed the credentials of Francis Ngannou, fresh off giving Tyson Fury a scare in a 10-rounder, with sickening ease.
The old swagger has returned and though his shortcomings are unlikely to have disappeared, it’s worth noting that his incredible will to win, alongside his exceptional strength, has seen him beat all but one opponent he’s shared a ring with. His power remains one of the most formidable weapons in the entire sport and that might well prove more revealing than any trouble he’s encountered.