Ahead August 12 bout, Joshua wary of Whyte’s left punch

Former world champion Anthony Joshua’s crunch rematch with Dillian Whyte is fast approaching, with many feeling both men’s careers are on the line at the 02 Arena on August 12th.

The pair’s first encounter in the professional ranks came all the way back in 2015, a memorable British title fight that culminated in a seventh-round stoppage win for Joshua.

In a recent feature with DAZN Boxing, Joshua looked back at that dramatic night, and revealed a “peach” of a left hook Whyte landed in the second round had him “shook to his boots.”

“As I’ve gone to throw a right hand, you’re supposed to sit back on your back foot and rotate to get your leverage. What I did, was I lent over my front hand, which puts me in the firing line, and boom! A left hook hits me.

I didn’t see it coming, because I wasn’t interested in what was coming back, I’m just interested in attacking Dillian.

It was a peach of a punch and it shook me down to my boots.”

Fans have been crying out for that tenacious version of ‘AJ’ to return, after a tentative showing in his first outing under new trainer Derrick James back in April, a decision win against Jermaine Franklin.

Joshua and Whyte have been rivals since they were teenagers, hence why there is a view that ‘The Bodysnatcher’ could be the perfect opponent to bring the spite back into Joshua’s work.

With a money-spinning clash with Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia – and potentially his career – at risk, the stakes couldn’t really be much higher for Joshua.