Joshua, real deal or myth?
OPINION: Anthony Joshua fans in the United Kingdom puffed their chests out just a little bit further yesterday as their glamour boy did another job on another opponent.
Joshua extended his professional boxing record to 18 wins, all by the way of KO, stopping American Eric Molina in the third round with a decent right.
Many pundits in the UK have Joshua as top dog and then daylight next in the heavyweight division.
Following the victory over Molina they sharpened their pencils a little more as they continued to plot his future, which in their eyes is world dominance in the years to come.
But have they been blinded yet again by his beach muscles and the bright lights that are British boxing hype? Have we really learned any more about Joshua following the demolition of Molina?
Molina was yet another opponent happy to run through his promotional duties, step into the ring, take a couple of punches, and then depart with his appearance fee.
At no point did he look interested as he stood on the outside throwing wild punches in blind hope he may get lucky and connect with one.
Many in the UK look down their nose at the WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker as if he is some sort of little kid pretending to be a boxer.
Parker’s 22 win-zero loss record has been treated with disdain by some who think it is inflated with wins over boxing nobodies.
But Joshua’s opponents to date have been mugs.
Molina is second rate, as have the other 17 fighters in the professional ranks who have stepped into the ring with Joshua.
Joshua’s round-three knockout is nothing to get excited about. He has potential but it is hard to gauge if that will lead to anything.
He was effectively handed the IBF title by Charles Martin who had little interest in mixing it to provide a genuine threat.
It is also a surprise Joshua’s indifferent display against Dillan Whyte in December last year didn’t raise more concerns with those in the UK. Joshua tired as the fight went on which is only natural given how much muscle he is carrying,
The British boxer is unlikely to be able to bank on an early knockout when he comes head-to-head with Wladimir Klitschko in April.
Joshua hasn’t been required to go past seven rounds to date but we are likely to see how he can handle rounds 10, 11, and 12 against Klitschko.
Forget what they say in the UK, Joseph Parker is far more advanced than Anthony Joshua, at this stage at least.