Joshua reveals why he won’t fight until 2023 and his next opponent
Anthony Joshua told DAZN that his family has asked him to take some time off
Nigeria-born former heavyweight champion of the world, Anthony Joshua, won't fight in December as he battles to regain his mental health following back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
In September 2021, the Ukraine genius dethroned the 33-year-old London 2012 Olympic golden kid, stripping him of his WBA, IBF, and WBO world belts.
Despite a significantly improved performance, he lost his August rematch, and in the aftermath, he broke down, throwing a few of his old titles to the ground and sobbing in the post-fight press conference.
After losing his championships and any possibility of achieving his long-term aim of being the unquestioned decider, the father of one let go of a decade of bearing such enormous expectations on his massive shoulders.
Additionally, the Watford legend has admitted that, despite Eddie Hearn's assurances that he will fight in December, his head has not yet fully recovered. This is despite the fact that he is still physically fit for combat.
Tyson Fury, the unbeaten WBC Gypsy King, and AJ started talking about a possible fight on December 3.
However, he ended the negotiations when he realized that competing on the Fury program, which was scheduled for the Cardiff stadium, would conflict with his business and sponsorship relationships.
Anthony Joshua told DAZN that his family has asked him to take some time off to let his enormous heart and mind to heal from the painful defeats.
"You saw after my last fight, I swear it tore me apart," Joshua confessed. "I had so much riding on it, for me, the British fans, the undisputed fight.
"It just really tore me apart so, from a mental capacity, my close ones are telling me to rest, mentally. Physically I am down to ride, I am a warrior, I like this game and I like competing. But, from a mental aspect, I think people have really seen it means a lot."
After his own breakdown and a backdated doping suspension in 2017 coincided, Fury turned his own struggles into a second career as a mental health advocate.
Joshua, however, kept all of his troubles hidden until the desert heat of Saudi Arabia caused his facade to crumble.
He now has to go through another rebuilding phase and will probably make a comeback to the ring in the spring of 2023 to assist him go back to winning ways.
"Even if I am not fighting, my name is getting called out every day so it's a mental pressure of being AJ and holding up a reputation, they go hand-in-hand," he said.
Joshua continued, "Trying to do this thing - and do it properly - is tough. Boxers are rough and tough but this boxing is a lot of mental pressure.
Meanwhile, Eddie Hearn states that Jermaine Franklin is ‘nailed on’ to face Joshua next if he beats Dillian Whyte on November 26 at Wembley Arena.
The Matchroom Boxing chief previously named Whyte as the ‘frontrunner’ to face AJ for his return to the ring in early 2023 but if the unbeaten American upsets the odds next month he will be given the opportunity of a lifetime instead.
Speaking to iFL TV, Hearn said: “These are the nights they work for, it’s a golden opportunity. It’s over to him now. If he’s good enough he wins the fight, if he’s not he gets knocked out, but he’s got a chance to change his life. If he beat Dillian Whyte, he should get a shot at the world heavyweight title so that’s what’s on the line for him.
“He’s got everything to gain. Not a lot of people know about Jermaine Franklin in the UK, they know about him in American boxing, but people look at this as a comeback fight for Dillian Whyte to get himself prepared for Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder. But his team are looking at it as a chance of a lifetime to give them a shot at Anthony Joshua.
“I mean, if Jermaine Franklin beats Dillian Whyte he’s pretty much nailed on to fight Anthony Joshua and make millions and millions of dollars. So, that’s what he’s fighting for. He’s a hungry young man, he’s never had those kinds of paydays and he’s got a chance to take it.”
Franklin (21-0) will be making a big step up in competition having mostly operated at North American level for the majority of his career. The 28-year-old holds solid wins over tricky veterans Rydell Booker and Jerry Forest, but no one close to the standard of The Body Snatcher.
Whyte is returning to the ring for the first time since being knocked out by Tyson Fury in April at Wembley Stadium. Many are viewing this fight as a confidence builder coming into the AJ rematch, but Franklin has other ideas.
