Carl Froch has little sympathy for Anthony Joshua, who recently admitted that pressure from fans, pundits and fellow fighters has taken the fun from the sport.
Joshua is currently in build-back mode following two consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in which he was relieved of his unified heavyweight titles.
With two wins since then, he is aiming to become a three-time world champion, but has pointed out that there’s unecessary pressure on him doing so.
Speaking via Grosvenor Casinos, the former super-middleweight champion said pressure is part of the game and Joshua is wrong to ‘bitch’ about it.
“With great power comes great responsibility. He was a world champion and people are paying him their hard earned money and making him very rich. Boxing is the entertainment business and AJ is obligated to turn up and put on a performance.
Rafa Nadal does it every time he’s on centre court. Novak Djokovic performs every time under immense pressure, so don’t bitch and moan to me that the fans – who have made you a multi millionaire – are putting pressure on you. That’s part and parcel of being a professional heavyweight boxer. If you can’t stand the heat get out the f****g kitchen. Stop bitching about it.”
Froch appears to be responding to Joshua’s recent comments in an interview with Louis Theroux, in which he said:
“Are we going to dissect everything I say and use it as a narrative to create a story? That’s why I keep myself to myself. You put all this pressure on yourself to come and be this big star and be perfect. I’m telling you, they’ll pull you down. The higher you are, the bigger the drop.”
“People now create this narrative and put pressure on me. It’s, like, too much. Gone are the days when it was for fun, when you’re just doing it for the passion, [when] you’re a prospect.”
Joshua is expected back in the ring on December 23, with Swedish southpaw and IBF rated number two, Otto Wallin, expected to be in the opposite corner.