BY GABRIEL PRINCEWILL
Anthony Joshua steps into the ring at the 02 arena today to face experienced veteran Kevin Johnson, who has never been stopped in 36 fights – a career spanning 12 years .
This is an interesting fight that will take Johnson to the next phase of his career, and it must be said that this is a similar stage where David Price lost the strong momentum he had built . The difference is that Price had 15 fights under his belt,(13KO’s) not 12 fights like Joshua has(with a 100%knockout ratio)
Johnson has been talking a good fight all week, expressing absolute confidence he will beat Joshua. It is a bit of a deja vu in the sense that Tony Thompson spoke with similar confidence before he met Britain’s David Price, but his words were dismissed by British fans and observers to our own peril. At the time, the risk against Price was clear to me though I expected Price to pull it off. Instead what transpired was an embarrassing demolition of the huge Liverpool fighter, when all 6ft 8 inches off him hit the canvas by a technically delivered right hand just behind the ears of David Price.
By rematch time, it was clearer to me that the first defeat could repeat itself in a departure from the historical trend in which the star attraction avenges a defeat largely conceived by fans to have been a blip. Price lost the rematch, and his reputation immediately plummeted, and has never been fully restored since then, despite some of the emphatic victories he has subsequently secured against lower opposition. Boxing is an unforgiving sport, and until Price beats someone at top level, he won’t regain anywhere near the optimism the public once had in him even though he is one four good prospects here.
The same evaluation will be inevitable if Joshua falls short in this critical examination. He will be presented an opportunity to avenge an eventual defeat tonight but until that time comes and passes successfully, the steam from all the hype would evaporate. He can’t let that happen. Joshua is athletic, dedicated, humble, and possesses undeniable power. He will have to impose that power on Johnson and not give the American a chance to ruin the party. The fact Johnson has faced the best the heavyweight has to offer and never been stopped makes it intriguing to see how Joshua handles him.
A stoppage in any round will be commendable for Joshua. Most expert observers see Joshua delivering a late stoppage, but a decisive knockout or stoppage is more likely in the first six rounds of the fight if it is going to happen. If the American can survive our olympian’s heavy shots for more than six rounds, then he will probably endure those shots the whole way. Johnson can take a puck and Joshua can deliver one. Our golden boy will want to make a statement and be the first to stop Johnson in 36 fights. wanting something is one thing, and being able to do it is another.
It’s a big ask, because to do now what Vitali Klitschko could not do a few years ago.The difference here though is that Klitschko was at the latter stage of his career, with less fire in his belly as we expect Joshua to have at this buzzing stage of his young fledging career. As a young fresh 25 year old ploughing a historic ascension to the throne- he will be expected to mark himself out from the rest. In his bid to be the best, he must pass this test.
On the other hand, Johnson has continued to insist that he will expose the 2012 Olympic gold medalist. ”He is nothing but an old man in a diaper- I will expose him”- Johnson stated. I don’t rate him at all, he has no business being on my level, he told Radio 5. his corner will either throw in the towel or he will be stopped before they can even put his hands in the air” Confident words from Johnson, he really fancies his chances.
A points win for Joshua would be an intuitive speculation based on Johnson’s proven resilience against Klitschko and even Fury, but my inclination is to expect a spectacular stoppage by Joshua in the 5th or 6th round- anything sooner will be simply too good. An unlikely but probable victory by Johnson will amount to crashing the party of Britain’s newest boxing darling. Joshua can’t let him do that.
