Anthony Joshua

[diehard]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/83870088/anthony-joshua-second-title-defence-confirmed-for-manchester-at-end-of-november

[diehard]

Anthony Joshua: I'm not bothered who I face next because whoever it is, they will get knocked out

Anthony Joshua is not worried about who his manager Eddie Hearn finds to fight him in his IBF heavyweight title defence because he believes there is no opponent he cannot beat by knockout - including Joseph Parker.

The 26-year-old Englishman is undefeated after 17 professional fights - all won by knockout - and is in training for his 18th at the Manchester Arena on November 26.

An announcement is set to be made on September 26 to reveal who he will fight next but the Brit is not giving it much thought.

Asked if whoever he faces will suffer the same fate as his other 17 opponents by knockout, Joshua said: 'I think so. It's what I train for. It's my job. Anybody can get it.
'It's heavyweight boxing. Anyone can get it. Anyone is able to get hurt and knocked out. It would be silly of me to say no.

'What you speak into the universe is what you attract so I'm going to tell you is of course I can knock out any heavyweight in the world.

'I'll be ready.'

Hearn last week said he was struggling to pin down an opponent for Joshua because they were all wanting 'a fortune' to get in the ring.

Bulgaria's Kubrat Pulev is tipped to get the nod with Parker set to fight on the undercard and perhaps face Joshua next year.

But Joshua is not in constant contact with Hearn to find out the latest.

'He mentions a name. I'm like, "No problem". There's not a lot to talk about,' Joshua said.

'I'm not like, "How does he look? Can we fight this guy? Why don't we..." That's not my interest. "Eddie, who we fighting?" "We've got this guy". "OK, cool, no problem". I just get on with it.

'He's a normal geezer, just like you, just like me. He just has a job to do. He's a really nice guy, business-minded, very intelligent, comes from a good family household, his dad was a promoter.

'He's done a good job to be part of bringing boxing back to where it is. He's done amazing things.'

Over the English summer, Joshua worked as a pundit for BBC during the Olympics in Brazil and took inspiration from USA swimmer Michael Phelps, who gave him advice.
'He has been through a lot,' Joshua said. 'The good and the bad. He's achieved a lot. I spoke to him. He told me to be dedicated.

'How he approached 2012 was a lot different to how he approached 2016, and you could see the difference in results. Get yourself away and grind.'

- Daily Mail

[NakiFan]

So there is increasing chatter over other forums that Haye may be the Nov 26th target for Joshua....

[tm7]

Just read in the bs herald that Lonergan offered Izu up for the AJ fight..

[Msreef]

I hope not. IMO, Haye will slaughter AJ.

If I were Izu and was offered it I'd take the AJ fight. Take your opportunities. Izu is untested but so is AJ.

[shamrock]

Haye would be a test for AJ and has recognizable persona. Izu has nothing to offer the champion and has no rights for consideration.

[diehard]

Izu said he'd fight AJ:

By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Photos: Dave Cameron

6’7 giant Alexander Dimitrenko (38-2, 24 KOs) says he’s confident of victory when he faces IBF #1 heavyweight Joseph Parker (20-0, 17 KOs) on October 1 over twelve rounds at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau, New Zealand.

“I’m looking forward to winning this fight,” commented the 34-year-old Dimitrenko. “I have nothing to lose in this fight. The pressure is on him, not me. I’m really relaxed. I enjoy being the underdog.”

Dimitrenko also stated that in his opinion Carlos Takam defeated Parker earlier this year. “If the fight was in France then the fight would have gone to Takam,” he said.

Duco Events Promoter Dean Lonergan revealed that Parker arrived in New Zealand from Las Vegas on Saturday and confirmed that discussions with IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn were continuing about Parker fighting on the undercard of Joshua’s next title defense in Manchester on November 26. There remains a chance that Parker, slated to fight David Price, could step up to the main event, but both camps would prefer their men to meet in March.

Lonergan left the door open for Parker’s stablemate Izu Ugonoh to fight Joshua should negotiations with Kubrat Pulev fall over. “Izu has gone into that top 15 [of the IBF] and he’s available for selection. If they come back to us and said ‘Izu is up now and then we’ll take Joe’ we’d be more than happy with that and we’ll negotiate a deal.”

[craigyid14]

How is Izu IBF top 15?

[diehard]

Ya' see. These people got together from the WBO and said, "Izu, we deem you #12." Except Fury is the champ in the WBO with AJ the IBF champ. I would have thought he'd have to be ranked in the top 15 in the IBF for AJ to fight him, not the WBO.

[Msreef]

Izu is #15 in the IBF, that's why he's eligible to fight AJ.