By Brian Webber: Anthony Joshua says he’s going through a transition adjusting to being a contender rather than a world champion. He feels that pressure is off his shoulders not having to defend his titles.
It’s a different mindset, Joshua says, not having to defend belts against a challenger that is coming to take what he’s got. On April 1st, the former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) will face Jermaine Franklin (21-1, 14 KOs) in a non-title fight on DAZN.
What’s important to note is the event won’t be on pay-per-view, which is different for Joshua because his fights have been behind a paywall for ages, and it’s bringing him back to where he was before fame & fortune.
The Franklin fight is the first step for Joshua to become a three-time heavyweight champion, and he says he’s not worried about trying to score a knockout. He just wants to win, and adjust to his new status as a contender.
AJ will be fighting for the first time with new coach Derrick James in his corner, and that’s going to be an exciting transition for him to see how they work together as a team.
Joshua acclimatizing to contender status
“We’ll see how I acclimatize to walking in as someone who’s a contender for the championship now,” Anthony Joshua said to Sky Sports News about his new mindset, being belt-less, coming into his next fight on April 1st.
“I’m looking at myself as a contender. When you have the belts and are champion, you have to fight a certain way. Because [you’re against] someone who’s coming to take what you have,” Joshua said.
“There’s different mindsets to you trying to protect what you have. Now I haven’t got anything to protect so I’m going to come in with a different mindset. It’s a natural transition. Like the hunter and the hunted,” said Joshua.
AJ getting back to the basics
“This guy, Jermaine Franklin, he’s working in the trenches. Imagine me going in there, ‘Yeah, no pressure,’ and be going in there and ‘Boom.’ It’s silly for me to come in with that mindset,” said Joshua to the DAZN Boxing Show. “So I’m not forgetting this is still a fight.
“The name statuses and the name brands of the heavyweight division. Just because they’re not all name brands doesn’t mean that they still can’t perform.
“Why Derrick? When you’re searching for greatness, and you pray on it, God will give you everything you ask for. Hopefully, it works out,” said Joshua about him teaming up with trainer Derrick James.
“He didn’t. It was a natural progression. ‘Hey, man, this is my gym.’ Cool,'” Joshua said when asked if Derrick insisted that he train in his gym in Texas. “You know what you need to do as a fighter? Skip, shadow box, hit the heavy bag, hit the mitts, and spar, but you need to do it with the intention of understanding what you’re trying to do.
“The stuff that I was maybe looking for before, but he’s kind of like, ‘Let’s strip it back. Let’s get back to the basics.'”
Just win, baby!
I like that, it’s good. 100%,” said Joshua when asked if just getting a win is good enough on April 1st.
“It’s good to compare, but just because you beat someone a certain way and I beat someone a certain way doesn’t mean you’ll beat me a certain way. Until you and me fight, you don’t know what I bring to the table.
“Styles make fights. A win for me is enough. I’m not doing it to compete with anyone and have a better win than the last person who fought him or to prove anything to anyone. I need to do what I can do to the best of may ability. That should be enough.
“It’s massive. It’s not massive for anyone that doesn’t care,” said Joshua when asked how does it feel knowing his next fight against Franklin isn’t on pay-per-view on April 1st.
“For a little subscription [to DAZN], you get me, Katie Taylor on the undercard of this fight. Who else is on DAZN? Bivol, Bam Rodriguez, Callum Smith. Seriously, that’s a good roster. Even the shows coming up are massive as well.
“I really do think it’s value for money, and I understand their vision. It’s a product that’s changing the game, which is going to rustle a few feathers. As soon as people get accustomed and understand it’s for the better, I think it’s actually a good platform,” said Joshua.