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The Big Interview: Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua is getting a bit of bored now of knocking out opponents who are supposed to be serious contenders.

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His rise through the professional ranks and to become a world heavyweight champion isn't considered swift just because of the bouts boxed,

writes Craig Birch.

The unblemished 26-year-old has featured 16 times in paid circumstances and took Charles Martin's IBF belt by TKO in his last outing.

Tonight's first title defence comes against another American in Dominic Breazeale, who has only boxed once more as a pro himself.

On the basis of the evidence collected so far, there's every chance that Breazeale will tumble as those have before him.

Joshua's spotless ledger has all come by way of knockout with only man - hated rival Dillian Whyte - lasting more than three rounds with him.

The likeable Londoner - who turned over to much fanfare after winning a gold medal at the home Olympic Games of 2012 - undoubtedly has dynamite in his gloves.

The speed, accuracy and power of his shots are disguised behind the jab until they hit bang on the button. When they come out of nowhere, rest assured it's game over.

Of the 132 rounds 'AJ' has been scheduled to complete since making his debut, he's took out anyone who has dared stand with him in a total of 34 sessions.

Martin fell in two and was down twice, but that doesn't faze his countryman. Undefeated Brezeale, 30, insists he's a banger himself, with 15 stoppages from 17 wins.

'Trouble' has vowed his 6ft 7in, 255lb frame can absorb huge bombs and even claims to be the bigger hitter. He thinks he can take a shot and there's every chance we'll find out this evening.

Joshua actually hopes that's the case, having trained like a demon to hardly break a sweat smashing through the opposition time and again.

It's testament to his popularity that the boxing public know this and still sold out London's 02 Arena in half an hour. Millions more will pay for the privilege of watching him on Sky Sports Box Office.

Modern day heavyweight kingpin Wladimir Klitschko has hailed him - and not more decorated Englishman Tyson Fury - as the future of the division.

All it appears Joshua has to do is to stay motivated and do his bit, which immediately means dealing with Brezeale and in style.

He said: "People always talk about game plans, but it's all the same thing to me. Boxing is not complicated, I train the best I can and, if I can, I'll get the win.

"Almost every fighter comes into the ring in their peak physical condition, but mindset is the most important thing to me.

"I'm looking to have 10 years left in this sport and, while I'm here, I want to make the biggest impact I possibly can. I'm looking to get to the very top and there's no turning back now.

"People believe I will beat the opponents I'm going in with and I appreciate the level I'm being put on but, at the same time, these geezers should be lasting longer than two or three rounds.

"If I go in there and do what I do, this is one step closer to what I want to achieve. I need to test myself and I want to be active, so I'll be looking to fight again in November.

"There's talk of opponents like Dillian Whyte and David Haye. I still feel like Dillian and me can keep this rivalry going and keep on entertaining people.

"Haye is more powerful and explosive than any of them, whereas Tyson is the elusive one, but I'm not planning on getting hit. If it's to start unifying the titles, we'll take on whoever is out there."

Former world champion Haye has vowed to take on all-comers after coming out of retirement, while Whyte wants to avenge being left flat on his back in seven.

The latter and Joshua are all square, with Whyte having dropped and beaten him on points when the two were amateurs in 2009.

Their second meeting did expose some chinks in Joshua's armour, particularly a weakness to the left hook that wobbled 'AJ' in the second.

Their bad-tempered December tear-up for British and Commonwealth honours entertained the 02 Arena, which is fast becoming home for him and promoter Eddie Hearn.

New champion Martin travelled across the pond to put up his title in April, with Joshua's push to the moon considered too soon by some.

Fury was one that claimed he was still little more than a novice and susceptible to southpaws, with Martin packing a booming left hand of his own.

Instead, 'the Prince' went down after missing a simple jab and sampling what Joshua had straight to the jaw.

Martin climbed to his feet but was floored again by another right hook, which left him just about conscious but with little interest in beating the count.

That answered Fury's claims, to a degree, but the motor-mouth Mancunian claims one day he'll school Joshua and take back the belt he never lost.

Joshua has already had rivals questioning whether he's really destined for greatness, though, and he's left most of them laying.

He said: "For some reason, Tyson signed a rematch clause with Klitschko, knowing these belts have different implications. The IBF title was stripped from him and I didn't really think about it.

"I'd even seen and congratulated him since, we were posing for pictures together all over the shop. All he does is talk about me now.

"I was knuckling down to training and we were talking about fighting an American, someone like Bryant Jennings. Then Charles Martin started calling me out.

"I thought it was interesting, a world champion asking me to take me on. I believed I could beat him, but it was how I would be going about my business after that.

"We were in a serious league. If it had been anyone else's decision, I wouldn't have fought him. I trust the people who train me and guide me and I listen to what they say.

"If anyone goes wrong in the ring, it's me who has to pay the price but it was me who was pushing for it. That's just the sort of fighting person I am.

"You have to think about cycles, too, I knew I'd stand a good chance with Martin as I'd had a better pro grounding than people thought.

"If I was still an amateur, I'd be preparing for the Rio Olympics again. No one would have been saying I didn't know to box properly then.

"There's the media attention you get. When you're an unknown, no one cares about what you're doing. When you're in the public eye, they are waiting for you to fail.

"It's a catch 22 situation and it comes with the territory but, on the night, there were no nerves at all. I had my music on and my cousins were in the changing rooms with me before the fight.

"It all felt a bit routine and I was a lot more edgy about the Olympics final, 100 per cent. It was a home tournament and I'd only been boxing four years.

"By the time of the Martin fight, I'd been around eight years and I was a lot calmer, because I knew I learned my craft.

"When the bell rang, Martin was just standing side on and I thought 'I'm just going to pepper him for the first three rounds.'

"It didn't surprise me when I was catching him with shots, because I know what I can do when I want to slug. I put him down twice and the second one was for good.

"I thought he was capable of getting up, because he wasn't out cold. If he wanted to, he would have, but he'd have got a serious beating."

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