British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua says he is eager to reclaim his position in the game ahead of his crucial bout against Dillian Whyte on August 12.
After losing two straight fights to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, the 33-year-old Nigerian-born Briton fighter is making an effort to bounce back to more prominence in the heavyweight division.
Joshua rose to fame as a knockout specialist at the start of his professional career, but it has already been almost three years since he last won via knockout.
He feels that he shouldn’t be written off just yet, even though there are doubts as to whether he still retains the spitefulness that allowed him to dominate boxing’s top division.
In April, he defeated Jermaine Franklin to get back on the winning track, although both critics and supporters decried his performance.
The two-time world champion said he is happy with his present circumstances and thinks he is making the right moves to retake the heavyweight division’s top position.
“What’s beautiful about sports is there’s always a next opportunity to prove yourself, so no matter what happens, there’s a process that I’m following and I just know that if we look at history, everything will work out for me,” he said.
“I’ve just got to ride the wave, stay consistent, stay focused and when the opportunity presents itself… everyone can write you off, but if you believe in yourself and you continue on your journey, 100 percent you will overcome. Only you can defeat yourself. Not anyone else.”
