Forget titles and legacy, Anthony Joshua is boxing for one thing – money.
The former unified heavyweight champion took a break from training in Texas with new coach, Derrick James, for the London press conference ahead of his fight with Jermaine Franklin.
It’s an important scrap for the British superstar, who finds himself out of the championship picture for the first time since 2016. Fans know that anything but a good win for ‘AJ’ here makes it unlikely that they’ll see him in with some of the top names like Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder anytime soon.
Despite the pressure, Joshua was clear when asked what his desire for fighting was.
“Money, money, money. I like making money. Straight up. This is a prizefighting sport. I’ve been broke, and my family’s been broke.
I know what this s**t means, and I do it cause I’m good at it and I hustle hard, and, when it’s all said and done, no one will care about me no more. So I gotta make the most of it while I’m here.”
Anthony Joshua says money is the motivation for his return vs Jermaine Franklin on April 1st: "Money, money, money. I like making money, straight up."
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— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) February 9, 2023
The line follows Floyd Mayweather’s advice of currency over legacy – something the 50-0 former fighter has repeated as he’s continued to earn a boatload from the sport.
Whether or not there’s a deeper desire to become three-time heavyweight champion of the world, only Joshua knows, but he promised that he’s ‘locked in’ for the Franklin fight.
On April 1, live on DAZN, any changes made in Texas alongside James will be on show. Fans will be looking for a decisive victory – and with that will come future fights that are sure to hold plenty more financial gain.