Anthony Joshua, 33, opens up on fear of suffering trauma in the ring and wants to be remembered for retiring ‘healthy’
ANTHONY JOSHUA has opened up on the fear of suffering trauma in the boxing ring – and wants to be remembered for retiring “healthy”.
The British superstar won Olympic gold in London in 2012 and has twice reigned as the unified heavyweight world champion.
And being able to enjoy the fame and fortune amassed during his prizefighting is a top priority for 33-year-old Joshua.
He told Men’s Health: “In boxing, people walk in the gym one way and not many walk out the same way, because of the trauma and the stuff they put their body through.
“I want my legacy to be, I walked out healthy. Imagine me at the age of 50 or 60 in a wheelchair, fragile because of the trauma I put my body through.
“My legacy should be when I’m old, I’m still fresh. I want people to say, ‘Oh wow, he still looks good, he still looks after himself.’ That’s a legacy.”
Joshua’s revelation comes shortly after he was urged to RETIRE by American writer Thomas Hauser.
Author Hauser – who penned several acclaimed books on Muhammad Ali – wrote a Guardian column directed at AJ.
It was headlined “The bravest thing Anthony Joshua can do is retire from boxing.”
And Hauser pleaded with the multimillionaire and two-time champ to walk away with his health intact and wealth secured.
But the piece has disgusted Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who hit out at the article and any suggestion of AJ retiring.
He told Boxing Social: “What a f***ing joke. I’m just gonna say it, Thomas Hauser needs to retire, he’s so far detached from reality.
“He doesn’t know Anthony Joshua – he’s hardly even had a conversation with him.
“Has he ever watched him in the gym or sat down and spoken to him?
“I just find it absolutely bizarre that you can lose a split decision to Oleksandr Usyk, come back and win nearly every round against Jermaine Franklin and then it’s ‘you have to retire now’.
“What the f*** are these people talking about? Thomas Hauser is a disgrace for writing that. Honestly I found that article disgusting.”
I want my legacy to be, I walked out healthy. Imagine me at the age of 50 or 60 in a wheelchair—fragile because of the trauma I put my body through.
Anthony Joshua
Joshua beat Franklin, 29, on points in his April return following consecutive losses to Usyk, 36.
And now a super-fight against Deontay Wilder, 37, is in the works for Saudi Arabia as talks between the camps progress.
Joshua revealed: “In December potentially there is a big fight that should be cracking with me and Wilder.
“It has been a long time coming. There are a lot of moving shapes at the minute, a lot of things happening, so one step at a time.
“But it has been a long time coming, for sure.”