UP AND AT ’EM
Belter AJ is ready to rise back to top
ANTHONY JOSHUA says the only way is up as he prepares to take on Francis Ngannou in front of a watching Tyson Fury in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Joshua has made his fourth pilgrimage to the Kingdom in search of his fourth successive win since his rematch defeat by Oleksandr Usyk in 2022.
As he left the ring that night on the verge of tears after a furious and emotional outburst, few would have backed the Brit to return to contention for the undisputed crown.
But the accelerated influx of Saudi petrodollars has raised the prospect of Joshua fighting for all four belts later this year.
Should he beat former UFC champion Ngannou, the ex-heavyweight king can surely bank on the influence of the sport’s new puppet master Turki Alalshikh.
And he could well meet Fury, who will take his seat at ringside to support his brother Roman in his fourth pro fight.
“This is the first time since 2017 that I’ve had three fights back-to-back,” said Joshua. “Maybe getting back in the gym and keeping constant is starting to pay off again.
“I’m trying to rebuild and get that activity going. I’m not on my way out, I feel like I’m still on my way up.
“Let’s say I’m throwing 100 punches a round, my goal is to turn that into 110 so the next guy I fight is in for more of a pacing than the last one. I know what I’ve got to do to win and all I’ve got to worry about is myself. Friday can’t come soon enough.”
Joshua should have been days away from taking on Deontay Wilder – but those plans were wrecked when Joseph Parker beat the American here two nights before Christmas.
Instead Ngannou has seized the chance to prove his performance against Fury was no fluke having dropped the unbeaten champion en route to a paper-thin points defeat.
Ngannou (above) said. “Tyson Fury is loud and there was a lot of curiosity, a lot of people including the boxing community didn’t believe it. It’s changed because now people are thinking, ‘Okay, this is a normal fight.’
“Joshua is an elite fighter. We all learn from our mistakes and I’m more worried about people that have made mistakes in the past because that could make them more dangerous.”