By Gabriel Princewill-
British fans have been complaining about Anthony Joshua’s performance against Joseph Parker in Cardiff last Saturday night. Joshua won a 12 rounds unanimous decision in their heavyweight unification fight, inflicting Parker’s first ever loss. However, Joshua was uninspiring in his success.
The Londoner did what he had to do to retain his belts, but was ponderous and reluctant to engage vigorously enough to prompt a stoppage. However, almost all the opinions The Eye Of Media.Com has heard in relation to the fight has been critical. ”It was a boring fight , there was no action for most of the fight, 25 year old Jim Bourne from Stepney Green, East London, told The Eye Of Media.Com. Joshua was too cagey, he didn’t seem confident go for the kill”. Another fan, 28 year old Jason Walters told The Eye Of Media.Com ” Joshua did not fight like a true champion.
He was fighting for an extra world title belt, but he seemed afraid to fight. He was too slow and weary, he should have stopped Parker. Parker was the more determined fighter, but he didn’t look like a big puncher on the level of his record. Joshua didn’t fight like a boxer”.
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A different view from 23 year old Mike Lynch from Edmonton, North London, blamed the view that Joshua and Parker are friends on the performance. He told The Eye Of Media.Com ” Joshua and Parker are friends, don’t you know? Maybe it was a secret, but they are friends and Joshua did not want to really hurt him. Everybody was disappointed with the fight and wanted to see a knockout, but Joshua didn’t want to do serious damage to Parker”. The claim Joshua and Parker were friends is yet to be verified, but there was no information in the public domain to suggest these two were friends, or that Joshua’s killer instinct was hampered by this fact.
TECHNICAL ABILITY
Joshua who had stopped all 20 of his opponents before meeting Parker, showed good technical ability throughout the fight. Defending well, throwing his punches correctly and purposefully, Joshua was conscious of Parker’s durability, and took no chances in the fight. However, the physically blessed and athletic heavyweight world champion did not show the killer instinct that characterized much of his earlier fights. As the standard of opposition has been raised at the higher echelon of the division, Joshua has become increasingly vigilant and tactful. This has left many fans wondering whether the quick explosive knockouts exhibited with weaker opposition was reflective of the lesser standard the 6ft 6 inch brick house was facing.
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In truth, Joshua has faced relatively good opposition at every stage of his career, and done very well. At higher levels, he has faced stiffer tests against the likes of Klitschko, Carlos Takam, and now Joseph Parker. Joshua has also needed the experience of going many rounds, but British boxing fans don’t want to see their hero straying away from the explosive assaults on his opponents in the process of garnering ring experience. They want to see Joshua acting like Mike Tyson and taking out all opponents. This is wishful thinking because even Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis went the distance a few times, though were rarely ever as inactive as Joshua was in Cardiff.
Lennox Lewis was criticized a number of times for his safety first approach, but the former heavyweight world champion went into the trenches against top notch opponents on several occasions. Anthony Joshua now has four belts, and the boxing world are now itching for a clash between him and American Deontey Wilder.
BOXING POLITICS
However, boxing’s politics could be a stumbling block to whether this fight materializes as quickly as desired. The IBF has ordered a fight between Dillian Whyte and Polish heavyweight, Kubrat Pulev. The winner would be a mandatory to Joshua’s titles, and WBA contender, Alexander Povetkin is also the WBA’s mandatory contender to Joshua’s title. Last week, Dillian Whyte knocked out previously unbeaten Australian, Lucas Browne, inflicting Browne’s first defeat in 26 fights. after six rounds. Another win against 6ft 5 Pulev in the near future will set him up for a rematch with Joshua if neither Wilder nor Povetkin have got their first.
Wilder’s trainer, Jay Deas, told The Eye Of Media.Com: ” Joshua v Wilder is the biggest fight in the heavyweight division and the logical next step for both fighters. There is no reason why this fight should not take place next to decide who the best fighter in the heavyweight division is. We are confident Wilder is the best fighter in the world, and by Wilder and Joshua putting all their belts on the line, we will find out who is the true best heavyweight champion of the world”.
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