Two Guys Who Came From Nothing, Who Have Built Their Legacies
They are arguably the two biggest stars in world boxing today (barring the semi-retired Manny Pacquiao and the more fully retired Floyd Mayweather) – Canelo Alvarez and Anthony Joshua. And Eddie Hearn has the great fortune of working with both star fighters. Canelo as we know is looking to make history at super-middleweight, while AJ is closing in ( we hope, STILL no official confirmation or announcement of the fight) on a massive heavyweight unification showdown with rival Brit Tyson Fury.
Hearn, in speaking with Sky Sports, said he sees similarities between the two champions who hail from different parts of the world. Hearn says both guys “came from nothing,” have achieved massive success yet “have the same hunger now as when they first walked into a gym.” Hearn says both stars are constantly trying to improve their game.
“I see similarities, not in the ring, between him and Canelo,” Hearn said of reigning WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight champ Joshua. “Two guys who came from nothing, who have built their legacies, who have the same hunger now as when they first walked into a gym. That’s what makes a winner. Joshua is constantly trying to evolve. When you walk into Canelo’s dressing room after a fight he is talking to Eddy Reynoso about how he can improve.”
In all honesty, most great fighters are men who came from nothing, from impoverished backgrounds. This is what makes them so hungry in the first place of course. But Hearn is bang on right when he says Canelo (net worth around $140 million) and Joshua (net worth almost $100 million) have remained hungry despite their respective riches. Canelo is aiming for a whole lot more, as in six or seven years more in the ring before he retires, while Joshua has in the past spoken of fighting on for a good number of years himself. Both champions are absolutely set for life financially, yet the desire to achieve undisputed greatness – Canelo at 168, AJ up at heavyweight, drives the pair on.
Hearn says Joshua will “do a job” on Fury when the fight finally rolls around.
“He’s so focused,” Hearn said of Joshua. “Although he’d tell you that he’s training just to improve as a fighter, I know that all he’s thinking about is Fury. He’s working on the plan to beat this guy and become undisputed. He has the mindset of a winner, of a champion. Fury is a fantastic fighter but AJ will do a job on him. The preparation starts now. Don’t go thinking Fury isn’t doing the same. He knows. This may be the biggest fight of all time.”
What price Joshua AND Canelo end 2021 as undisputed champions?