By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten #8 WBC heavyweight contender Anthony Joshua (10-0, 10 KOs) was forced to pull out of his previously scheduled fight against 35-year-old journeyman Kevin Johnson (29-6-1, 14 KOs) today due to a lingering pars stress fracture in Joshua’s back from his last fight against journeyman Michael Sprott last November.
The Joshua-Johnson fight was supposed to take place on January 31st at the O2 Arena in London, UK.
Joshua stopped Sprott in the 1st round in their fight last November. However, while exerting himself in the process of trying to score a quick knockout, Joshua hurt his back.
There was basically thrown back at Joshua in the fight, and it just an injury he sustained from moving his muscular upper body around the ring while throwing punches. It’s worrisome that a young fighter like the 25-year-old Joshua still isn’t healed from the injury two months later.
It’s also troubling that this is yet another injury for Joshua, who has had shoulder problems in the recent past. He’s kind of young to be sustaining injuries left and right, and you have to wonder whether this is a prelude to what we’ll be seeing in the future from him as he ages.
In looking at the huge bodybuilding type muscles that Joshua carries around on his upper body, it’s not surprising that he’s having injury problems because he looks to be carrying around too much muscle for his frame.
“It’s disappointing to lose Anthony from this great card but after receiving news from the scan, he was left with no option but to rest his back,” said Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn via Skysports.com. “He picked up a niggle in the Sprott camp and had a good month rest after, but it hasn’t been 100 per cent in camp and the results gave him no option. He hopes to resume punching in early February and come back with a bang in Newcastle on April 4.”
Joshua is next scheduled to fight on April 4th card against an opponent still to be determined at the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom.
It’s interesting that Hearn is seemingly making light of it by calling it a “niggle” because this is something that has lingered on for two months now. If it was just a small thing then should have gone away quickly rather than still persisting.
Let’s hope that this doesn’t lead to a chronic back problem for Joshua because he could wind up missing a lot of action if this thing doesn’t heal right.
Joshua should think about losing some muscle and focus on his flexibility and speed. He’s not very fast, and seems to push his punches rather than throw them with authority. All that muscle likely is a factor in keeping him from being an explosive puncher. If Joshua were to lose around 20 pounds on his upper body, he’d likely be a much faster and better heavyweight than he is now.
The January 31st card will still take place. Lightweight Kevin Mitchell will be facing Daniel Estrada. Also on the card is middleweight John Ryder battling Les Sherrington.
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