Anthony Joshua: 'I need to be a billionaire'

[Jip]

i need to be a billionere too

[greg]

..in those interviews I've heard/seen Joshua comes across as a nice person..speaking about willing to be a billionaire as opposed to multi-millionnaire is kinda childish..but then who cares..

[KiwiRider]

I'd be interested to know how many self-made billionaires Joshua actually knows.

In fact, I'd be interested to know if Joshua actually knows how much a billion is. He probably just thinks it's 200 million or something.

I bet Wlad knows a few skulking in the shadows

[Ossyrules]

I don't mind Joshua at all really. Comes across well most of the time, stuff like "league of their own" etc he's seems ok geezer.

I think casuals will take to him as a personality, so he'll pick up fan base and PPV numbers imo

I don't dislike him. I just don't see anything particularly winning about his personality.

No issues from me, each to their own

My prediction is that whilst he keeps winning his popularity will speak for itself

[Lackeos]

Couldn't happen even under the best case scenario, IMO. He would basically need Tyson / Holyfield drawing power for starters, which I think he would fail to attain. Then, he would need ATG opponents available to fight, which... if he's lucky, he might be able to fight 3 in his career, but doubtfully more than that, unless he just fights Tyson Fury 4 times. He would also need more career longevity than Lewis / Holyfield, which is nearly impossible given how much later his prime started. Finally, he'd need to manage his money like Warren Buffett, and I just don't think he's smart like that.

IMO, if his career goes as well as possible and he makes semi-smart but not genius financial moves, he might be able to get $250 million.

[candyslim]

I like him. He has time for people and he's a genuinely nice guy, Cynics would say that's all part of a carefully cultivated public persona, but I don't think it is. If it's not real it'll be difficult to maintain. I've seen no slips so far. He does have a ruthless side to him though, he wouldn't be a champion boxer if he didn't. Same goes for ambition and self-confidence and I don't think those qualities conflict with his 'stay humble' philosophy.

As for the Billionaire stuff, I don't much care whether it's achievable or not. Anything that gives him a long-term goal to pursue has to be a good thing for his longevity in the sport. I think that was the problem with Fury: His all-consuming ambition was to beat Klitschko and take his title. He didn't seemingly have any goal beyond that, and when he achieved his dream, I believe there may have been a "what now?" feeling of anti-climax which led to his psychological issues ... unless that was just some kind of smoke-screen intended to deflect attention or avoid punishment for the drug-test failure.

So keep dreaming AJ and keep working to make those dreams a reality.

[RScarf1]

I think Fury had psychological issues before the Klitschko fight. When he got the decision (which I did not think he deserved), he did not have the mental toughness to do it again and have a rematch. I don't believe that Fury will go through the training and dedication necessary to become a world champion in the future.

[candyslim]

Yes probably underlying problems which could be kept in check as long as he had that target in sight.

[Loki]

I think it's more a throwaway comment concerning ambition as much as a serious plan to earn a billion tbh.

He does have huge pulling power though. PPV figures are always excellent. He ticks a lot of boxes as a promoter

Heavyweight - blue ribbon division

Fighting style - guarantees knockouts and therefore action/drama

Personality - very likeable geezer. Will develop a big fan base I think. Questionable if this trait is one to generate the most money. Ali said he didn't care if people wanted me to lose as long as they bought a ticket. Fighters like mayweather etc, the boxing world tune in as they want him to lose as he's a twat. Hatton has his own fan base, but outside of his own fans not many care about Hatton so much

I feel if Joshua was American it would be another box ticked for being a cash cow. There's nothing bigger in boxing than a top class American heavyweight

That era is over. Tyson and Holyfield were the last. Since the iron curtain was lifted, it changed boxing at HW for ever.

Although, I, as a boxing enthusiast, think AJ is better than Wilder, the causal shouldn't really see that much difference. Wilder is a likeable guy, as AJ is - they both knock people out (although both untested).

I see no reason why Wilder shouldn't fit the mould. But, he doesn't.

[Loki]

I'd be interested to know how many self-made billionaires Joshua actually knows.

In fact, I'd be interested to know if Joshua actually knows how much a billion is. He probably just thinks it's 200 million or something.

I bet Wlad knows a few skulking in the shadows

How much is it? 1000 million or a 1,000,000 million. Technically it's the latter.

[Loki]

Anthony Joshua: 'I need to be a billionaire'

"When I first started, the aim was to become a multimillionaire. But now there are ordinary people, grandmas and granddads, who are worth millions just because of property prices. So the new school of thought is that I need to be a billionaire. Being a millionaire is good, but you have to set your sights higher. If I'm making £10 million from my next fight, my next target has to be making ten times that. And if I get to £100m-150m, why not go for the billion? I know self-made billionaires. It's hard, but it's possible."

Wladimir Klitschko's response was:

On April 29th I'm going to fight a wannabe billionaire. Fellas, how many wannabe billionaires did you "fight" in your life? I've none.

Thoughts?

This is out character. Strange.

[Boxerbeetle]

I'd be interested to know how many self-made billionaires Joshua actually knows.

In fact, I'd be interested to know if Joshua actually knows how much a billion is. He probably just thinks it's 200 million or something.

I bet Wlad knows a few skulking in the shadows

How much is it? 1000 million or a 1,000,000 million. Technically it's the latter.

Depends - isn't it 1000 million in the US, and 1,000,000 million in the UK? Either way, it's a huge amount and more than any sportsman is likely to obtain in our lifetimes.

[Loki]

I bet Wlad knows a few skulking in the shadows

How much is it? 1000 million or a 1,000,000 million. Technically it's the latter.

Depends - isn't it 1000 million in the US, and 1,000,000 million in the UK? Either way, it's a huge amount and more than any sportsman is likely to obtain in our lifetimes.

Not sure about that, if Mayweather, Foreman (a lesser degree), Tyson and Holyfield started a decent portfolio with Warren Buffett or George Soros - it might have been attainable. Instead they skunked it on exotic cats, women and shite.

[Ossyrules]

I think it's more a throwaway comment concerning ambition as much as a serious plan to earn a billion tbh.

He does have huge pulling power though. PPV figures are always excellent. He ticks a lot of boxes as a promoter

Heavyweight - blue ribbon division

Fighting style - guarantees knockouts and therefore action/drama

Personality - very likeable geezer. Will develop a big fan base I think. Questionable if this trait is one to generate the most money. Ali said he didn't care if people wanted me to lose as long as they bought a ticket. Fighters like mayweather etc, the boxing world tune in as they want him to lose as he's a twat. Hatton has his own fan base, but outside of his own fans not many care about Hatton so much

I feel if Joshua was American it would be another box ticked for being a cash cow. There's nothing bigger in boxing than a top class American heavyweight

That era is over. Tyson and Holyfield were the last. Since the iron curtain was lifted, it changed boxing at HW for ever.

Although, I, as a boxing enthusiast, think AJ is better than Wilder, the causal shouldn't really see that much difference. Wilder is a likeable guy, as AJ is - they both knock people out (although both untested).

I see no reason why Wilder shouldn't fit the mould. But, he doesn't.

I think the difference with wilder is he looks unconvincing in a lot of his fights. The fight ending punches he lands aren't so much as a result of setting up his opponent. AJ is completely dominate in comparison. Even a casual can recognise a guy basically stinking it out till the winning punch

[candyslim]

Joshua wouldn't be certain to beat Wilder because Wilder has tremendous one punch knockout power. Joshua also carries heavy artillery and his compact text-book style and superior technique, to my mind tilts the balance of probability in his favour, that he could find the shots to end the fight first. Favourable odds maybe but no guarantee.

As I've posted before on this forum I would not be remotely surprised if a Joshua v Wilder fight were almost a carbon-copy of the Joshua v Martin fight. Only one certainty and that is it would be extremely exciting while it lasts.

[BitPlayer]

I think Fury had psychological issues before the Klitschko fight. When he got the decision (which I did not think he deserved), he did not have the mental toughness to do it again and have a rematch. I don't believe that Fury will go through the training and dedication necessary to become a world champion in the future.

It's known and has been reported in that he's had mental issues for a long time, he's spoken about it.

Also of course he deserved the decision, there's not even a case to be made for Wlad winning.

[Oiky]

tysons always admitted, and paris, that he's struggled with some issues in the past