18 bouts, 18 wins, 18 knockouts. Anthony Joshua is the complete package, he has size, speed, power and strength. It’s easy to see why the 6’6″, 27yr old Anthony Joshua will be a name known around the boxing world for a very long time.
Growing up in Watford, then moving to the nation’s capital of London when he was 17. It was there, that Anthony Joshua was introduced to boxing by his cousin. Being a naturally gifted sportsman, he played football at a high level and with all the stamina and all the speed that he possessed, Joshua could run the 100m field in less than 11 seconds. However, boxing was his passion and he very quickly worked his way up through the ranks.
Joshua has stated previously that his earliest boxing memory was seeing Bermaine Stiverne in Las Vegas training at the Mayweather gym. There was where he got to see first hand how hard work pays off.
In the years that followed, Anthony Joshua become the Champion of Britain, winning the ABAE title, reaching the quarterfinals of the European Championships, defeat Olympic and two-time World Champion Roberto Cammarelle, win a silver medal in the World Championships and gain qualification for the London 2012 Olympics. It was the London Olympics where Anthony Joshua stood out above all by winning the Super Heavyweight Gold Medal.
Joshua made his professional debut on October 5th, 2013 in front of a sold out crowd at the O2 Arena in London, where he won by technical knockout in the first round against Italian Emanuele Leo. He would continue on his winning ways, having going undefeated in his first eight fights, Joshua made quick work of Denis Bakhtov in one minute into the second round to win the WBC International Heavyweight Title on October 11th of 2014.
Anthony then would go on to capture his second title on September 12th, 2015, after he defeated Gary Cornish in just one minute and 37 seconds into the first round. Not only handing Cornish his first loss, but Joshua would become the new Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion.
April 9th, 2016, would see Joshua secure his place in history, as he became the IBF World Heavyweight Champion, knocking out American, Charles Martin less than 60 seconds into the second round. In doing so Anthony not only took his record to 16-0, but he became the fifth fastest man ever to become a World Heavyweight Champion, achieving the feat in two years and six months, which is just under a year quicker than his idol Muhammad Ali, who won his first World Heavyweight Title in three years and four months.
Just this month, on December 10th, Anthony Joshua successfully defended his IBF world heavyweight title with another brutal demonstration of his power and strength as he not only retained his title, but he claimed his 18th career win in as many fights. After the fight, it was announced that Anthony Joshua would be facing Wladimir Klitschko, on April 29th at Wembley Stadium, in what is sure to be a history making night.
Anthony Joshua right now is the most exiting prospect in world boxing. There is no limit on how far Joshua can go, as he looks to win the WBA and the WBO titles in the future. Not only is Anthony an amazing athlete, but he is humble and is a very respectful man. Definitely a man who I personally look up to and admire for all of his hard work and passion. With all of the potential that he has and all of his accomplishments thus far, Anthony Joshua is well on his way to becoming one of the greats of boxing.
