Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KO) will lock horns with New Zealand’s reigning WBO world heavyweight champion, Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KO) on March 31st at The Principality Stadium.
They kicked off their opening press conference today in London. Both competitors came face to face for the first time as opponents and the tension was palpable after all the bad blood while the fight was still in its negotiation phase.
Parker and his team have constantly sought to diminish Joshua’s accomplishments and ridicule certain elements of his fighting game. Most notably, his chin, hand speed and mobility.
Time to unite a member of the family #AJBXNGpic.twitter.com/bjofilhvXD
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) January 16, 2018
Anthony Joshua cut off Joseph Parker’s promoter, Dave Higgins of Duco Events midsentence and addressed their ongoing persistence with the notion that ‘AJ’ has a glass jaw.
“You know what I learned when I was dropped in that Klitschko fight?” Joshua began.
” A lot of people have spoken about me getting dropped and hand on my heart I’ve used it as a publicity stunt.”
“What you are using it as, as well,” Joshua said, directing his comments at Parker’s promoter, Dave Higgins.
“When you talk about myself getting dropped, its a marketability strategy.
๐ฌ๐ง๐ค๐พ๐ค๐ป๐ณ๐ฟ pic.twitter.com/RS4NXgLX08
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) January 14, 2018
When you want to talk about facts, the three times I have been dropped or hurt was in the European championships, McCracken knows because I was banned from the GB team cos I was still getting in trouble.
“I went back to Watford, I stopped boxing and two weeks after that I was called up to represent the country. I was very unfit, but I did not get dropped”
“When your tank is empty, it is hard to perform.”
“Second time was with David Price. I had come out of a police cell and went straight up to train.”
“David Price is a puncher and (I had) a lack of experience.”
“Then the third time with Klitschko all the time it taught me, It would take more than a human to stop me from being where I am destined to be.”
Weekend Meditation ๐๐พ pic.twitter.com/QQA28c9XCm
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) January 13, 2018
“That is when I learned not to walk by sight because when you are fatigued you do not know where you are.”
“In terms of the rumours that you have heard, they are fake news; hand on my heart.”
“What I have learned is that it will take more than any human to stop me on this journey.”
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