"Everything he stood for out of the ring is special" - Anthony Joshua reveals his sporting hero
Anthony Joshua has named who he considers to be his sporting hero.
'AJ' recently did an interview with William Hill to discuss a variety of topics. One question that came up surrounded who the former two-time heavyweight titleholder considers to be his idol in the world of sport.
Joshua named Muhammad Ali as his main inspiration. 'AJ' explained how what Ali did outside the ring was just as important as what he did inside it.
"Muhammad Ali. Everything he stood for out of the ring is special. It takes so much energy to be as great as he was in the ring. But also, everything he did out of the ring. He was a very energetic and special man."
See Anthony Joshua's interview with William Hill below:
🗣 ''My hidden talent is...''
@anthonyjoshua joins @NicoleHolliday to answer 12 quickfire questions 👇📹 https://t.co/1XFGfpb0of
Joshua's analysis of Ali is spot-on. The former three-time Heavyweight Champion was dubbed 'The Greatest' not only for his achievements inside the squared circle. He became well-known for his activism outside of the ring.
Ali notably lost years of his career and was stripped of his heavyweight titles due to his refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam war.
Anthony Joshua is set to face Oleksandr Usyk later this year
Anthony Joshua has been absent from the ring since September 2021. 'AJ' last faced Oleksandr Usyk and lost the bout via a lopsided unanimous decision.
Joshua was expected to defeat the former Cruiserweight Champion, having entered the bout as a sizeable favorite. However, Usyk thoroughly outboxed the then-WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO Heavyweight Champion en route to a decision victory.
Following the fight, the former Englishman activated his rematch clause to face the Ukrainian again. However, discussions began for Joshua to potentially step-aside for a possible Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk matchup instead.
The conversation began after 'AJ' left his trainer Rob McCraken and started the hunt for a new coach. A step-aside deal seemed likely, but the proposed deal fell apart in the final stages of negotiations.
As a result, Anthony Joshua is now set to face Oleksandr Usyk once again. While there's no date or venue set for the rematch, 'AJ' will have the chance to make history like his idol Ali.
If the British fighter is able to defeat 'The Cat', he'll join 'The Greatest' as one of only two heavyweights to have captured gold three times.