Brit has the power and the glory
Anthony Joshua has won all 20 of his professional fights by knocking out the opponent trying to deck him. Those numbers paint a picture of the immense power the big Brit packs in one punch and why his global appeal rises with every fight he wins when landing those brutal blows.
There are 20 battered and bruised boxers who can testify in failing to survive 12 rounds in the ring with the 28-year-old.
The boxing audience wants to see heavyweight clashes won by spectacular knockouts, a giant man sent tumbling to the canvas by one sweet swing, and the way Joshua has repeatedly flattened those who face him is why, in the words of legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer,
tune in.
Joseph Parker, who has won 18 of 24 professional fights via knockout, is his next challenger when the bell rings for their unification showdown in Cardiff tomorrow morning and the question remains: how can the Kiwi conquer Joshua?
Parker, 26, looks in great condition and might have an advantage with that ‘‘granite chin’’, his speed and his fast hands. He also boasts an unbeaten professional record, but he hasn’t fought like an imperious heavyweight world champion in his last three victories against Andy Ruiz (majority decision), Razvan Cojanu (unanimous decision) and Hughie Fury (majority decision).
The wins over Ruiz and Fury were very tight, to say the least, and Parker, the WBO champion, failed to send warning signals to rivals.
He simply hasn’t looked capable of knocking down opponents far inferior to Joshua, so it’s hard to see him even testing the Brit’s so-called ‘‘glass jaw’’.
Now Joshua, the WBA, IBF and IBO world champion, wasn’t too convincing in beating one man Parker has faced, Carlos Takam, in his last fight last October.
Takam is one tough nut to crack, as Parker knows having fought 12 rounds with him before winning via unanimous decision in 2016, and Joshua won via technical knockout when the referee controversially stopped the fight in the 10th round.
Though exposed at times, something that would have intrigued Parker’s camp, a sudden flurry of hefty blows left Takam in trouble and Joshua pounced to full effect.
Parker has never been knocked down and Joshua was by Wladimir Klitschko, then 41, in the sixth round when he fought the long-time heavyweight champion in April last year.
But Joshua got back up again under huge pressure, having suffered the first significant blow of his career on the biggest stage before 90,000 fans at Wembley, to floor the great Ukrainian not once but twice for an enthralling victory in the 11th round.
It was box office boxing at its best.
Parker’s best chance is to go the distance but can he avoid eating one of Joshua’s powerful punches?
If Joshua does truly connect with Parker’s ‘‘granite chin’’, and the Kiwi gets knocked down before a buoyant Cardiff crowd baying for blood, he will be in deep trouble.