Anthony Joshua boxing news and latest headlines
Joshua was back in action after five months out of the ring with a stress fracture of the back, and opposing him was the ebullient Gavern, fighting for the 50th time in the paid ranks.
Gavern started well as Joshua eased his way back into the swing of things, but the American was floored twice in the second round as Joshua found his groove – but Gavern raised his hand in defiance as he heard the bell and headed back to his corner.
A stress fracture of the back forced Joshua out of his January bout with Kevin ‘Kingpin’ Johnson, and the Olympic gold medal hero said it was tough not to capitalise on his rapid progress following another brutal KO win over Michael Sprott in Liverpool in November, but the 25 year old says he will be back and better than ever in the north east.
“I was on a roll and there was great momentum, but I think I can pick that up again,” said Joshua.
Anthony Joshua is back in the gym in training for his April fight. Joshua took a little time off from his busy fight schedule after discovering a stress fracture in his back.
Now Joshua is back in the gym sparring, training and getting prepared for his bout on April 4th. After that he is expected to take part in the Kevin Johnson fight, therefore the TBE opponent we will see him fight next likely wont be a dangerous puncher or someone capable of upsetting Joshua as that would spoil the Johnson fight and end the Joshua express.
How often do you get to compare a professional in their seventh year to one in his second year? For myself it is not often but apparently that is normal for drawing comparsions between fellow olympians and current heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.
Both men are tall and strong and produce knockouts in high volume but that is really all you can tell so far. Anthony Joshua is still in the early stages of his career and has only just made it to double figures in total fights where as Deontay has now had 30+ bouts and his first world title. What is interesting is that other than the Stiverne fight they have been facing the same level of competition through 2014.
Anthony Joshua has had a fast paced career so far in the pro ranks. Ten fights in his first year as a pro, all wins by knockout. The level of competition has been on a steep rise also, rising from unknown fighters to serious journeymen type opponents in the very first year. It is likely that he will be fighting Kevin Johnson in his next two fights and this is the kind of guy who Dereck Chisora, Manuel Charr, Tyson Fury and Alex Leapai are fighting well into the prime of their careers. Joshua is expected to become the first man to stop Johnson in that fight.
British heavyweight Anthony Joshua (10-0, 10 KOs) will need to take some time off to heal a back injury he sustained in his last fight against Michael Sprott. The injury to the 25-year-old Joshua’s back means that his fight against American Kevin Johnson will be canceled for January 31st.
Joshua has a stress fracture in his back from his 1st round stoppage win over the 39-year-old Sprott two months ago on November 22nd. Joshua did something during the fight that tweaked his back, and he’s been slow healing ever since then. It goes without saying that Joshua should have taken some time off from the gym rather than getting back into training recently.
FURY ON TARGET FOR KLITSCHKO AND WORLD TITLE — Promoter Frank Warren has said that media reports today of plans to make a fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are both inaccurate and wide of the mark.
Fury defeated Chisora, for the second time, last Saturday night at the ExCeL London to win the British, European and WBO International Heavyweight titles, whilst securing the mandatory challenger position to Wladimir Klitschko’s WBO World title.
British heavyweight Tyson Fury (22-0, 16 KOs) still hasn’t taken care of Dereck Chisora in their rematch next month and yet Fury already has his eyes set on who he wants to fight next. Fury says he wants to fight undefeated and untested British prospect Anthony Joshua (9-0, 9 KOs) so that he can prove himself against him.
Never mind the fact that a fight between Fury and Joshua would make no sense at this point considering that Joshua isn’t a belt holder, and has never beaten anyone remotely talented. Fury still feels like it’s a fight that he wants.
Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn is interested in matching former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion David Price (18-2, 15 KOs) against his unbeaten heavyweight Anthony Joshua (9-0, 9 KOs) next year in a fight that he believes the British boxing public will be interested in seeing. Judging by the boos from the British fans last Saturday night when Hearn floated that idea to them, it might not be a fight that the fans want to see.
Price was at ringside for Joshua’s 2nd round demolition of 34-year-old Russian journeyman Denis Bakhtov (38-10, 25 KOs) last night at the O2 Arena in London, UK. Price said that if he’s the guy that ends up facing the 6’6” Joshua next year, he’ll be looking to take his head off.
2012 Olympic heavyweight gold medalist Anthony Joshua (9-0, 9 KOs) took care of business on Saturday night in dismantling a shorter, older and far slower Denis Bakhtov (38-10, 25 KOs) in scoring a 2nd round stoppage to win the World Boxing Council International heavyweight title at the O2 Arena in London, UK. The win sets the soon to be 25-year-old Joshua up with a fight against Michael Sprott on November 22nd on the Bellew-Cleverly 2 card in Liverpool, UK.
Joshua, 6’6”, hurt the 5’11” Bakhtov with a right hand in the 2nd round. Bakhtov was against the ropes at the time and pretty much helpless with nowhere to go. Joshua then opened up with a storm of shots to the head resulting in the referee Ian John-Lewis separating the two fighters for some reason.