Joshua-Breazeale go head to head; A.J calls himself the underdog ahead of June fight

By James Slater - 05/04/2016 - Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90VTlIjK8DQ

Heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Dominic Breazeale came face to face at a London press conference earlier today, and both unbeaten fighters had plenty to say about their upcoming June 25th fight. Joshua will make the first defence of his IBF belt against fellow 2012 Olympian Breazeale and far from overlooking the unbeaten but largely untested (the same could of course be said of A.J) 30-year-old Californian, Joshua said he sees himself as the underdog going into the fight.

Complacency, Joshua said, will most certainly not be his downfall.

“I know we’ve heard it time and again but I see something in him; that he believes in himself, he wants to win and he wants to beat me,” Joshua said to Sky Sports when speaking about the man nicknamed “Trouble.” “But we’ll see on June 25th, it’s different when you’re in the ring, but he’s definitely not a brick in the wall and I’d never look at any of my opponents like that because that would be my downfall. Because I’m the underdog, I’ve got to keep that mentality. You’re only good when you’re winning and every fight can be your last.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a7CSe3h9VU

It would of course be a big shock, and a big setback, for Joshua if he were to be derailed by Breaezeale, 17-0(15). Joshua has just signed that big promotional deal with Showtime in the US and nothing less than true international stardom is expected of him; that and winning and unifying all the heavyweight titles. Breazeale, a decent first challenger for a young champion with just 16 pro fights under his belt, perhaps does believe in himself and believes he will win next month – Breazeale is certainly saying all the right things.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl6jrvo0HkU

“I hope Anthony Joshua is ready for a dog fight,” he said. “I’m coming here with all guns blazing and I’m coming to knock Anthony Joshua out.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E3oWl45rlk

While it wouldn’t be a Buster Douglas KO Mike Tyson type shocker if it happened, Breazeale knocking out Joshua would still stun a nation. And it would of course leave Eddie Hearn with a big rebuilding job to do. What fans would settle for is a competitive fight, if for just a few rounds. What nobody wants to see is a repeat of Joshua’s ridiculously easy blow-out of Charles Martin. Breazeale assures us he is prepared to give Joshua all he can handle.

Prediction: this one will be fun while it lasts and Joshua will actually have to take a punch or three!

YouTube video