Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Monday 30 october 2017

Joshua roadshow to go global as boxing star resets ambitions

By STEVE DOUGLAS Eddie Hearn — by fighting
AP Sports Writer abroad, most likely in the
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — The United States.
Anthony Joshua roadshow Joshua’s epic victory over
is about to go global, and Wladimir Klitschko at Wem-
it’s going to be a wrench bley in April rocketed him
for the British boxing super- into boxing’s global con-
star. Joshua cemented his sciousness, with two U.S.
status as a sporting icon in television networks broad-
his native land by attract- casting the fight. His style
ing 78,000 fans to watch of boxing — spectacular,
him fight an unheralded explosive — is proving a big
mandatory challenger for pull and should win over
his IBF belt. Where “AJ” U.S. audiences when he
goes, people follow — eventually crosses the At-
and on Saturday it was lantic to fight there for the
to the Welsh capital Car- first time.
diff, where Joshua ground Expect that to happen
down Carlos Takam to next year. “At the moment,
force a 10th-round stop- here,” Hearn said, when
page. Since becoming asked where the money
heavyweight champion is in heavyweight boxing.
in April 2016, Joshua has “But if you get it right, then
fought at four different in America. I think we need
British venues — London’s a clear plan moving for-
O2 Arena (16,000 fans), ward. “Every show is iconic Anthony Joshua, right, celebrates victory over Carlos Takam, left, after the IBF World Heavyweight
Manchester Arena (21,000 with Anthony. There are im- Title, IBO World Heavyweight Title and WBA Super World Heavyweight Title bout at the Principality
fans), London’s Wembley ages and footage that go Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017.
Stadium (90,000 fans) and to people all around the Associated Press
Cardiff’s Principality Sta- world ... I don’t think it’s have fighters wanting to Deontay Wilder. fight with Wilder down the
dium (78,000 fans) — and really been done before. come here and fight. That’s Parker, a New Zealander road than it is now,” Josh-
filled out each one. To go to another country, nice. I do like that.” who lives in Las Vegas, is ua’s trainer, Robert Mc-
He is 20-0 (all by knockout), and maybe into a 3,000 or Yet he also knows, long more likely to be the first Cracken, said. Joshua, sit-
owns the WBA and IBF belts, 4,000-seater arena, just for term, he has to crack one up for Joshua. ting beside McCracken,
and is resetting his targets a bit more money? AJ has America. “I think it will be a bigger nodded in agreement.q
as he heads into 2018. always wanted to put on Having dealt with the awk-
“We were at a learning shows. There isn’t a show ward challenge of Takam,
level when we first started,” like an AJ show in world a squat, durable fighter
Joshua, who turned pro in boxing and we don’t really from France who took
2012 after winning gold at want to walk away from Joshua to the second-lon-
the London Olympics, said that.” Joshua has said re- gest bout of his professional
in the bowels of the Princi- peatedly that the UK scene career, the champion has
pality Stadium early Sun- is where heavyweight box- a vague plan for 2018 that
day. “Then we went British ing is really thriving, with fel- could involve three fights.
level — a bit tougher, all low Brit Tyson Fury having Fulfil his obligations by tak-
about reputation and pride initially shaken up the divi- ing on a mandatory for his
— and then we entered sion by beating Klitschko in WBA belt — “I’m focusing
into the world level. Now, November 2015 to win the on keeping my belts, by
we are at the level where WBA, IBF and WBO titles. any means,” Joshua said
we want to own the divi- “In British heavyweight box- — potentially in April and
sion.” ing, it’s hard to get that then a unification fight in
And that likely means grow- respect,” the 28-year-old the summer against either
ing his “brand” — a term Joshua said. “There was WBO champion Joseph
used by Joshua’s promoter, always USA and now we Parker or WBC champion