WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE HIT BY JOSHUA?

PAUL BUTLIN Opponent No 2: October 26, 2013, Sheffield. KO round 2

‘I’d gone the distance twice with Dereck Chisora and thought it was too early for Joshua to fight me. But after the first jab, I was thinking, “What the f******, s******* hell was that?”

‘It’s not just the power, it’s the reach and speed. There’s this look on his face as well. I caught him in the first and he had this look on his face like I’d killed his mother. I needed nine stitches after the fight.’

DORIAN DARCH Opponent No 4: February 1, 2014, Cardiff. KO round 2

‘ He wasn’t catching me too cleanly and I didn’t think his speed was all that, but it was early in his career.

‘Despite that, I was saved by the bell at the end of the first and he was about to launch me three rows into the crowd in the second when the ref stopped it.’

MATT LEGG Opponent No 6: May 31, 2014, London. KO round 1

‘I was the first guy to back him into a corner. I even said, “Come on” to him and waved him on. Bad idea.

‘He adapts really fast and figured out my plan was to slip and get under his shots. He is like a big Mike Tyson because if he catches you, he is straight on top of you. I took a shot and bang, he was battering me to the ground.

‘He broke my eye socket and for three months I had nerve damage in my face, total numbness down one side. That was a daily reminder of what it was like fighting this guy.’

MATT SKELTON (above) Opponent No 7: July 12, 2014, Liverpool. KO round 2

‘I have been in with fighters at all levels and what made him good was the speed and accuracy.

‘What you sometimes find with the good amateurs is they don’t like to get involved with the rough stuff. But he was perfectly happy to give it back and he knew how.

‘I’ve sparred with him a lot since and you see him in the gym — he has a serious work ethic.’

JASON GAVERN Opponent No 11: April 4, 2015, Newcastle. KO round 3

‘I had come over from the US and sparred him a year earlier and remember every punch hurt. A year later his progress was massive.

‘I looked at this giant during the ref’s instructions and all I could think was, “Don’t beat me up too bad!”

‘He moves very well for such a massive guy. His punches are rhythmic, they flow in twos and threes and fours. And he is quick — I’m taking six steps for two of his. Whatever people say about his opponents, his shots would put any guy down.’

DILLIAN WHYTE Opponent No 15: December 12, 2015, London. KO round 7

‘I think his strength is also his weakness. He is so confident he can get people out of there that he neglects his defence, which is why I was able to hurt him in the second round. When I caught him I saw real fear in his eyes.

‘But he is a decent fighter. His power is overrated, but he is decent, an Olympic champion.’