Anthony Joshua - I Want To Fight 8 Or 10 Times In 2014.

By Paul Hampton.

Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua (3-0, 3KOs) has said that he wants a very busy 2014, hoping to fight at least eight times in a hope that he will increase his British ranking.

Joshua who made his debut last October, had recorded three wins as quickly as November, however injury saw him pull out of a fight in December, against Dorian Darch, which has now been rescheduled for February.

“When I completed in the Olympics I wasn’t half the fighter I am today and I’ve still got much further to go,” Joshua told the express.co.uk. “I want to fight eight to ten times this year and if I can level out my progression at a rapid rate towards the end of the year, I will get a better British ranking.”


Joshua seems intent on progressing through the levels quickly, however he should take a look at what happened to another Olympic medallist, David Price, when he rushed through the levels. Price looked superb knocking over below par domestic opposition however when he stepped up above that level, he was exposed has having awful stamina and the inability to absorb punishment.

If Joshua is planning on having a busy 2014, then I have no issues with him fighting C level fighters in the first half of the year, we should remember that Joshua had very limited experience as an amateur and is still learning in the professional game and shouldn’t be rushed. If he comes through the first half of the year then that is the time to step up to facing guys like Sam Sexton, Ian Lewison, even Richard Towers would be a good learning fight for the Londoner.

I only have to concerns about Joshua at this point. His ability to take a shot, sadly this question isn’t going to be answered anytime soon. The other concern is how his stamina will hold up in a gruelling fight, when you look at Joshua you could easily mistake him for a body builder. His physique brings back memories of Frank Bruno, a fighter not known for his fantastic stamina, however it is obvious that neither Joshua nor his trainers feel that this will be of any issue.

What ever happens in 2014, we are going to learn something about Anthony Joshua, and from a British boxing perspective I only hope that it something positive.

http://v2journal.com/16/post/2014/01/anthony-joshua-i-want-to-fight-8-or-10-times-in-2014.html

I think the first half of the year should be in against fighters that he can knock out then towards the end of the year find a heavy with average skills, but a good chin and good stamina. Heavy prospects just can't get the rounds because the heavy journeymen can very rarely take a punch. Before you know it, it's over after 2/3 rounds and it tells you nothing. Then it leaves them open to what Price ended up having to deal with. Paul I would put Sexton in the bracket of being blasted out in a few rounds. He hasn't much power either for a heavy.

Do some REAL research on a euro heavy who takes shot after shot but lasts the pace. If they can find these types then It will do wonders for Joshua's stamina. If they really want him to progress rather than just look good then they need a "chin" for him to hit for. 8-10 rounds at some point this year in at least 2 of his fights I think.

8 or 10 times = BURNOUT

Hopefully he's fighting for a British/commonwealth title by the end of the year. It'll be good for him to get a lot of fight experience at low risk for the first 6 months. Just so he gets used to his own nerves, it's been said before, but he could do worse than to follow the hugie fury model and fight in different countries.
For a guy with limited amateur experience (seems a dumb statement to make about an Olympic gold medalist), it'll be hard to become a rounded boxer when he's blasting out tomato cans in 1 round.

Reborn-DeeMcK-Reborn wrote:I think the first half of the year should be in against fighters that he can knock out then towards the end of the year find a heavy with average skills, but a good chin and good stamina. Heavy prospects just can't get the rounds because the heavy journeymen can very rarely take a punch. Before you know it, it's over after 2/3 rounds and it tells you nothing. Then it leaves them open to what Price ended up having to deal with. Paul I would put Sexton in the bracket of being blasted out in a few rounds. He hasn't much power either for a heavy.

Do some REAL research on a euro heavy who takes shot after shot but lasts the pace. If they can find these types then It will do wonders for Joshua's stamina. If they really want him to progress rather than just look good then they need a "chin" for him to hit for. 8-10 rounds at some point this year in at least 2 of his fights I think.

That's the reason why I thought he would have been better off staying amateur until the World championships, more chances to compete against people who will offer a stern challenge. With Joshua you have a guy with very limited amateur experience who is clearly a fast learner and a good athlete. He's going to blow through the same journeyman and tomato cans price did without necessarily learning a great deal, he'd have been better served doing rounds against the guys in the amateurs he barely got past in the Olympics who will give him very tough fights. Hopefully he'll get managed a bit better than Price and isn't rushed as time is on his side unlike Price.

lets hope its not 8 or 10 headline fights on terrible cards.

let him have some quiet fights, whilst sticking him on the undercard of a couple of big cards around the world

Heavy prospects just can't get the rounds because the heavy journeymen can very rarely take a punch. Before you know it, it's over after 2/3 rounds and it tells you nothing

That's down to poor matchmaking as they're clearly not being put in with proper journeyman. Your journeyman fighter knows how to survive, can take a punch and knows enough to ask these propects a few questions. What we tend to get though is a some overweight builder looking to earn a few beer vouchers by strapping on a pair gloves. Promotors and matchmakers need to take a good look at themselves as all they're doing is giving fighters and fans a false sense of perspective by making them think they're better than they are.

The Peter Buckleys of this world knew how to give up and comers a decent test and promotors knew they were getting VFM. I always said Amir Khan could have done a whole lot worse that fighting Buckley-esque pros instead of schoolteachers designed to help provide a KO highlight reel.

Problem is Dave, if you match a prospect with proper journeymen who can survive a few rounds like Buckley or Tony Booth is a guy is not boasting nine stoppages from his first ten he is written off as feather fisted. Put him in with a guy who can punch and he goes over he is chinny. Fans are largely idiots, matchmaking unfortunately panders to this idiocy.

Boxers used to fight regularly like this and I hope he does it.  There should be no risk of burn out as he won't be matched hard at all and will be valuable experience for him.

I agree with Lance, keep as low a profile as possible and then go for the British Belt early 2015.

He's still young at just 24 so no need to rush him to the highest level but keep him active.

I'd like Joshua to disappear and learn his trade. Co-headlining on big bills isn't likely to do him any good whatsoever.

Hot prospects these days are rich before they've fought anyone half-decent. Then their hunger wanes.

Well, I expect Joshua to breeze through the next year or two with mostly KOs a la David Price. Then we can find out what he's like when put under real pressure. There always comes an acid test when a fighter steps up to top ten level and gets pushed. Price looked great but failed his acid test(s). He looks to me like he just doesn't have the mentality of a world champion fighter. Remains to be seen if Joshua does, but I don't think we'll find out this year. More experience building is what is needed, and 8-10 fights seems ok to me.

Rowley wrote:Problem is Dave, if you match a prospect with proper journeymen who can survive a few rounds like Buckley or Tony Booth is a guy is not boasting nine stoppages from his first ten he is written off as feather fisted. Put him in with a guy who can punch and he goes over he is chinny. Fans are largely idiots, matchmaking unfortunately panders to this idiocy.

Seems there's a difference between fans and people who like boxing then as the latter seem to appreciate that there's more to the fight game than meets the eye. However I'm not sure which catorgory I need to be lambasted as being a part of.

I don't pay loads of money to go to fights so I can't be a proper fan and apparently I don't know jack about the game either

Rowley wrote:Problem is Dave, if you match a prospect with proper journeymen who can survive a few rounds like Buckley or Tony Booth is a guy is not boasting nine stoppages from his first ten he is written off as feather fisted. Put him in with a guy who can punch and he goes over he is chinny. Fans are largely idiots, matchmaking unfortunately panders to this idiocy.

So this board is an accurate microcosm then?

superflyweight wrote:

Rowley wrote:Problem is Dave, if you match a prospect with proper journeymen who can survive a few rounds like Buckley or Tony Booth is a guy is not boasting nine stoppages from his first ten he is written off as feather fisted. Put him in with a guy who can punch and he goes over he is chinny. Fans are largely idiots, matchmaking unfortunately panders to this idiocy.

So this board is an accurate microcosm then?  

No, if that was the case it would read "some fans are large idiots"

Or in Truss' case, "some large fans are idiots".

8 to 10 fights at the lower level is fine. Glad to hear that he plans on being busy.

The Darch fight on Feb 1st will be an interesting test. Darch will try and take-out the youngster.

Anthony Joshua looks to have the skills, size, speed and ability to go a long way. Still, to see how his chin and heart are but they shouldn't be tested this year. 2014 will be all about gaining experience, momentum and getting rounds, under his belt, while still developing in the gym.

Think AJ has taken one or two shots so far and taken them well, and took some hefty punishment at times in the Olympics and came through fine.

Agree he needs rounds though, a Zack Page would be perfect.

Agree with WDR that Dorian Darch would've been a good test, especially in only his 4th fight, and I like that he's basically tracking Hughie Fury only doing it better. Makes for an interesting yardstick and potential showdown in a couple of years.