Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua chats it up with Fight Hub TV to discuss this weekend’s title unification with Joseph Parker and how he thinks things will shake out. Check out what he had to say...
Joshua on his training camp:
“You know how it goes. Lots of running, little bit of conditioning, and lots and lots and lots of boxing. [I’m] preparing for myself really, improving who I was my last fight. So that’s been important to us. And now it’s just about performance.”
On if he learned anything by spending time in Floyd Mayweather’s training camp last summer:
“It’s all about hard work and dedication,” said Joshua, who clearly got Floyd’s tagline drilled into his head. “He’s dedicated to the sport. Okay, we see the highlight reels of his lifestyle but when I was around him, I met him in his gym! And that’s where a champion should be. So I got to give him respect because all he’s achieved, he’s still motivated, still going strong, so, um, I just realized it’s all about hard work and a lot of dedication.”
On why he’s facing Joseph Parker at this point in his career:
“I feel like it’s what we have to do, you know. If we don’t do it then we won’t bring excitement to boxing and I feel like we’re the flag bearers of bringing excitement to boxing. We’ve been working hard, my coach has put me in the right fights at the right time and sometimes we take fights earlier than other people. But we’re here, we’re happy, and we embrace a challenge. And the main thing is that it keeps the fans and supporters happy I say.”
On if he thinks he’s at the peak of his career:
“Let’s say I’m peak-ing. But what I need to do is remain where I am for like the next three years to peak. So I’ve got here, now if you wanna see the peak in me I need stern challenges — ‘cause that’s gonna help me improve — and I need to stay at this level for the next two or three years and then you’ll kind of see the peak in me. The better the fighter, the better the performance, and the more admiration. So, yeah, you’ll see the better of me each fight that goes on.”
On his prediction for Saturday’s fight with Parker:
“I have to mentally say like 12 rounds in my head, but if things go to plan I’m gonna say like 9 rounds.”
A knockout?:
“Yeah, man. Hundred percent.”