Page 23 - AT

A23
SPORTS Monday 9 deceMber 2019

Joshua 2.0: British boxing star plots new path to dominance

By STEVE DOUGLAS when he was knocked rematch in the Middle East, Wilder, the WBC champion wasn’t playing to my ben-
AP Sports Writer down four times before be- where avoiding Ruiz played who owns the belt Joshua efits. So I’m just going to let
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) the path take its course.
— It’s not all about the dev- When the opportunity
astating knockout for An- presents itself to become
thony Joshua anymore. undisputed heavyweight
He’s not going to go des- champion of the world, I’ll
perately chasing Deontay definitely step up and take
Wilder for the elusive belt in the challenge.”
his heavyweight collection, So, for the time being,
either. Joshua appears likely to
This is Joshua 2.0. fight mandatory challeng-
After what he describes as ers, probably starting with
a “roller coaster” year, the Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria in
British boxing star is back as the spring to keep the IBF
the multiple world heavy- belt. Then, Oleksandr Usyk
weight champion after — the unified cruiserweight
beating Andy Ruiz Jr. in a champion who recently
unanimous points decision stepped up to heavy-
in their rematch in Saudi weight — in the summer to
Arabia early Sunday. retain the WBO strap.
Listening to Joshua after Only then could he realisti-
the fight, there’s a sense cally fight “the other guy,”
he is about to embark on a as Joshua often refers to
new path to domination of Wilder.
the marquee division. The So, apparently, there is no
drastic change to his fight- real rush to meet the Amer-
ing style and mind-set is an ican. Not like a couple of
indication of that. years ago when that unifi-
Against Ruiz, Joshua over- cation fight clearly domi-
hauled his approach — nated the thoughts of Josh-
“I took it back to the old ua and his ambitious pro-
school, ‘70s style,” he said moter, Eddie Hearn.
— and used dancing feet The loss to Ruiz in New York
instead of his traditional could, then, be the making
power-punching to break of Joshua. It was a shock to
down his opponent. the system, making him re-
“Boxing’s a sweet science,” alize it will not be a straight-
Joshua said with a grin. forward ride to global
“Hit and don’t get hit. That’s domination, that he can-
the name of the game.” not switch off in any fight
For a heavyweight who and expect to pull through.
made his name as a knock- Britain’s Anthony Joshua celebrates after beating Andy Ruiz Jr. on points to win their World “It’s nice to KO and there
out merchant, Joshua has Heavyweight Championship contest at the Diriyah Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia early Sunday were times when I looked
only won one of his last five Dec. 8, 2019. in Andy’s eyes and I want-
fights by knocking his op- Associated Press ed to put my fist through his
ponent to the canvas, in a head,” Joshua said.
period stretching back 2½ ing stopped in the seventh as big a part in the game needs to become the first “But then I thought to my-
years. round at Madison Square plan as punching him, the unified champion since self, ‘This is boxing. I need to
He is becoming more cau- Garden. He told the BBC Briton said: “If I box for the Lennox Lewis early this cen- win for myself, show people
tious, more of a student of on Sunday that he had an crowd and people’s opin- tury. that there is a sweet sci-
boxing. “issue with my health” be- ion, I might not have been “I would love to unite the ence to the sport as well.’
Expect that to continue in fore that fight that led to victorious. I trusted my own belts,” Joshua said. It’s not like a script, it’s not
his second reign as champ him putting his head in a process and now I am the “But when you are chasing wrestling, this is real life and
after regaining the WBA, bucket of ice because he champion. I’m going to fol- … it’s the same as when it’s dangerous.
WBO and IBF belts. felt “tired and drained.” low my own instincts while you’re in the fight. Some- “These guys are highly
Joshua said he has learned Joshua gave no precise I’m boxing.” times if I’m chasing the right skilled athletes. I just love
his lesson after not pre- details about the issue. The more mature side of hand, I’m chasing the left preparing for a good chal-
paring properly for his first When asked if his fans might Joshua might also come hook, it may come crash- lenge. This is all I have, all I
fight against Ruiz in June, have expected more from through in his seemingly ing down on me. got. I have disciplined my-
which went badly wrong Joshua in the controversial never-ending pursuit of “I realize chasing that fight self for it.”q