Anthony Joshua: 'Fear of losing' the motivation in beating Joseph Parker
Tue Mar 27, 2018 02:47:pm Sports
4.4K By Obiaks Blog
WBA and IBF champion Anthony Joshua insists the fear of losing is driving him on as he prepares for his unification fight with WBO title holder Joseph Parker at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs), 28, is a big 1/9 betting favourite with UK bookmakers ahead of facing New Zealander Parker in front of an expected crowd of 80,000.
Victory for Joshua would earn him Parker's WBO belt and set up the prospect of facing Deontay Wilder in what is the biggest fight to be made in boxing.
Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs), who is not expected to be ringside on Saturday now, holds the only belt (WBC) not on the line in Cardiff.
"My future stops on Saturday that's where I've got to look to and not beyond that moment. I don't want to lose, " Joshua said. "I have to stay focused. unless I take care of my business no one will want to interview me.
"The fear of losing keeps me motivated. One moment you're the man and the next you're not. "
Joshua has knocked out all 20 professional opponents since winning gold at the 2012 and is backing himself to continue his KO streak.
"I'm definitely preparing for a 12 round fight which is not a problem, but let's say if I've got a £20- note in my pocket I would believe I would knock Joseph Parker out, for sure," Joshua said.
Both kept it respectable.
Unlike a lot of boxers, Joshua and Parker are not self-promoting, trash-talking or ranting. There was a mild exchange of opinions when the fight was made, but other than that the pair have shown mutual respect as they did at the press conference, held at the vast Sky Studios, west London.
Pay-per-view sales for Sky Sports, which shows the fight live in the U.K., will have been improved had Joshua and Parker insulted each other.
But Joshua and Parker give genuine responses to questions rather than pre-rehearsed soundbites that are ready-made for the media.
Parker (24-0, 18 KOs), 26, who was dressed smarter in a suit, spoke confidently a the press conference that was watched by hundreds of Sky employees who cheered Joshua's entrance.
"I feel ready, confident and I feel sharp," said Parker. "I'm taking those belts back to New Zealand. I see him as a great champion, the reason we wanted this fight is that we respect him. We love challenges, we see him as a big challenge which is the reason we want to fight him.
"I feel it is my time I am young, I am fast, I am determined to win. I'm not here for a pay day, I am not doing it for myself, I am doing it for my family, my country.
"I'm going to beat him, I haven't decided how I'm going to beat him yet. I will see how I feel on fight night. 100 per cent, these are mine."
Parker makes a third defence of the WBO belt he won from American Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2016.
Joshua has made four defences of the IBF title he won from American Charles Martin almost two years ago and one defence of the WBA belt, which was vacant when he knocked out former champion Wladimir Klitschko last year.
ESPN
Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs), 28, is a big 1/9 betting favourite with UK bookmakers ahead of facing New Zealander Parker in front of an expected crowd of 80,000.
Victory for Joshua would earn him Parker's WBO belt and set up the prospect of facing Deontay Wilder in what is the biggest fight to be made in boxing.
Wilder (40-0, 39 KOs), who is not expected to be ringside on Saturday now, holds the only belt (WBC) not on the line in Cardiff.
"My future stops on Saturday that's where I've got to look to and not beyond that moment. I don't want to lose, " Joshua said. "I have to stay focused. unless I take care of my business no one will want to interview me.
"The fear of losing keeps me motivated. One moment you're the man and the next you're not. "
Joshua has knocked out all 20 professional opponents since winning gold at the 2012 and is backing himself to continue his KO streak.
"I'm definitely preparing for a 12 round fight which is not a problem, but let's say if I've got a £20- note in my pocket I would believe I would knock Joseph Parker out, for sure," Joshua said.
Both kept it respectable.
Unlike a lot of boxers, Joshua and Parker are not self-promoting, trash-talking or ranting. There was a mild exchange of opinions when the fight was made, but other than that the pair have shown mutual respect as they did at the press conference, held at the vast Sky Studios, west London.
Pay-per-view sales for Sky Sports, which shows the fight live in the U.K., will have been improved had Joshua and Parker insulted each other.
But Joshua and Parker give genuine responses to questions rather than pre-rehearsed soundbites that are ready-made for the media.
Parker (24-0, 18 KOs), 26, who was dressed smarter in a suit, spoke confidently a the press conference that was watched by hundreds of Sky employees who cheered Joshua's entrance.
"I feel ready, confident and I feel sharp," said Parker. "I'm taking those belts back to New Zealand. I see him as a great champion, the reason we wanted this fight is that we respect him. We love challenges, we see him as a big challenge which is the reason we want to fight him.
"I feel it is my time I am young, I am fast, I am determined to win. I'm not here for a pay day, I am not doing it for myself, I am doing it for my family, my country.
"I'm going to beat him, I haven't decided how I'm going to beat him yet. I will see how I feel on fight night. 100 per cent, these are mine."
Parker makes a third defence of the WBO belt he won from American Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2016.
Joshua has made four defences of the IBF title he won from American Charles Martin almost two years ago and one defence of the WBA belt, which was vacant when he knocked out former champion Wladimir Klitschko last year.
ESPN
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