I guess I'm becoming a convert.
AJ on fighting Wilder:
"I think it will be class if I can fight Wilder for the undisputed title and then I could fight Usyk because then that would be the undisputed heavyweight champion versus the undisputed cruiserweight champion at heavyweight. That would be unbelievable."
AJ was quoted on the upcoming Wilder/Breazeaele matchup:
"They're both decent boxers. Breazeale is an Olympian but Wilder is just very quick, so if he catches Breazeale early it might be lights out as we have seen his last 40-odd fights."
No bluster; no insults; just good and quick assessments.
Full article of AJ on heavyweight 'happenings.'
https://www.BS.com/anthony-jos ... se--137830
Why I appreciate AJ
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Best Coast
- Welterweight
- Posts: 3133
- Joined: 07 Mar 2016, 22:53
Re: Why I appreciate AJ
Although I do appreciate a fighter that can trash-talk with the best, I also can appreciate fighters who seldom or never talk trash like AJ. Though he can get a little pompous at times I like Joshua as a fighter and a good sport. I rooted for him when he fought Wlad and will root for him against Usyk and Tyson Fury as well.
Re: Why I appreciate AJ
Dillian Whyte always accuses Joshua of being fake and not true to himself. I think he misses the point that people grow and how you carry yourself is often shaped by circumstances and vice versa.
Joshua probably was as Whye describes him when he was young, an unknown kid, doing things kids do, getting into trouble with the law on occasion, selling a little weed, no doubt talking smack with other young adults.
Now though he is a very focused, successful, wealthy young man. He is comfortable in his own skin. He knows that the humble and respectful persona he projects is good for business but it has become who he is now.
He knows he doesn't need to run his mouth and brag about how great he is. He has the confidence in his ability to do his talking in the ring and he doesn't feel the need to trash his competitors.
I like to hear Fury, Miller, Whyte etc trash-talk but the fact that Joshua doesn't go in for all that makes me respect him even more.
Joshua probably was as Whye describes him when he was young, an unknown kid, doing things kids do, getting into trouble with the law on occasion, selling a little weed, no doubt talking smack with other young adults.
Now though he is a very focused, successful, wealthy young man. He is comfortable in his own skin. He knows that the humble and respectful persona he projects is good for business but it has become who he is now.
He knows he doesn't need to run his mouth and brag about how great he is. He has the confidence in his ability to do his talking in the ring and he doesn't feel the need to trash his competitors.
I like to hear Fury, Miller, Whyte etc trash-talk but the fact that Joshua doesn't go in for all that makes me respect him even more.
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Enlightened-One
- Super Lightweight
- Posts: 14618
- Joined: 19 Jul 2016, 05:12
Re: Why I appreciate AJ
Anthony Joshua has previously attempted to engage in trash talking, but it comes across as a tad disingenuous. He’s just not very good at it, since there’s not enough malice or conviction in his words.
For example: “I don’t have much respect for many boxers in the heavyweight division. It’s not an act with me. I’m being honest. I used to. I used to say very nice things…”
And besides, from a marketing perspective, the British audience prefers charismatic “nice guy” personas like Frank Bruno and Ricky Hatton. He’s realised that portraying himself as being a pleasant, humble and occasionally humorous fighter is incredibly lucrative.
Depicting himself as a down to earth decent guy often results in appearances on chat shows, resulting in him attracting a sizable loyal fanbase that are willing to pay to watch his fights, even if his target audience doesn’t even know who he’s sharing the ring with.
I strongly suspect that a convicted drug dealer like AJ probably isn’t anywhere near as “nice” in real life as he portrays himself to be, but I appreciate the commercial reasons why he feels compelled to behave this way.
Unfortunately though, Joshua relies heavily on Eddie Hearn and his opponents to play the role of the stereotypical WWE heel in order to sell fights. However, if AJ wants to become a global brand, becoming especially popular in the US, he’ll likely need to add more spice to his media persona, as well as find a way to attract controversy, in order to gain crossover appeal to the mainstream masses in other countries.
Therefore, I strongly suspect that AJ will eventually adopt a “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” type persona, whereby his international audience witnesses more of the spiteful trash talking side of his media personality than his British fanbase does, especially considering he’s competing on DAZN’s international platform, which doesn't provide any of its streaming services to the UK.
It seems that the biggest earners in the sport of boxing possess extreme polar opposite media personas. They’re either incredibly “nice” or especially “vile”, compelling fight fans to either pay to see their “heroic favourite guy” win or they’ll pay in the hope that the “evil pantomime villain” loses.
Fighters with personalities that falls somewhere in the middle ground often become invisible and no one cares enough to see them compete.
It’s the commercial reality of our beloved sport. It would be naïve to believe that this isn’t the case.
For example: “I don’t have much respect for many boxers in the heavyweight division. It’s not an act with me. I’m being honest. I used to. I used to say very nice things…”
And besides, from a marketing perspective, the British audience prefers charismatic “nice guy” personas like Frank Bruno and Ricky Hatton. He’s realised that portraying himself as being a pleasant, humble and occasionally humorous fighter is incredibly lucrative.
Depicting himself as a down to earth decent guy often results in appearances on chat shows, resulting in him attracting a sizable loyal fanbase that are willing to pay to watch his fights, even if his target audience doesn’t even know who he’s sharing the ring with.
I strongly suspect that a convicted drug dealer like AJ probably isn’t anywhere near as “nice” in real life as he portrays himself to be, but I appreciate the commercial reasons why he feels compelled to behave this way.
Unfortunately though, Joshua relies heavily on Eddie Hearn and his opponents to play the role of the stereotypical WWE heel in order to sell fights. However, if AJ wants to become a global brand, becoming especially popular in the US, he’ll likely need to add more spice to his media persona, as well as find a way to attract controversy, in order to gain crossover appeal to the mainstream masses in other countries.
Therefore, I strongly suspect that AJ will eventually adopt a “Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” type persona, whereby his international audience witnesses more of the spiteful trash talking side of his media personality than his British fanbase does, especially considering he’s competing on DAZN’s international platform, which doesn't provide any of its streaming services to the UK.
It seems that the biggest earners in the sport of boxing possess extreme polar opposite media personas. They’re either incredibly “nice” or especially “vile”, compelling fight fans to either pay to see their “heroic favourite guy” win or they’ll pay in the hope that the “evil pantomime villain” loses.
Fighters with personalities that falls somewhere in the middle ground often become invisible and no one cares enough to see them compete.
It’s the commercial reality of our beloved sport. It would be naïve to believe that this isn’t the case.
Re: Why I appreciate AJ
well, if this is your argument, then youoogiebe wrote: ↑10 Apr 2019, 21:06 I guess I'm becoming a convert.
AJ on fighting Wilder:
"I think it will be class if I can fight Wilder for the undisputed title and then I could fight Usyk because then that would be the undisputed heavyweight champion versus the undisputed cruiserweight champion at heavyweight. That would be unbelievable."
AJ was quoted on the upcoming Wilder/Breazeaele matchup:
"They're both decent boxers. Breazeale is an Olympian but Wilder is just very quick, so if he catches Breazeale early it might be lights out as we have seen his last 40-odd fights."
No bluster; no insults; just good and quick assessments.
Full article of AJ on heavyweight 'happenings.'
https://www.BS.com/anthony-joshua-prefe ... se--137830
are ... late.
Re: Why I appreciate AJ
I think it was fairly obvious that AJ was coached in media relations from the beginning.
Not a bad thing really- if my kids were young and wanted to idolise a HW fighter, I would prefer them to idolise Joshua than Wilder.
His 'umble is partly manufactured, but there must be some truth to it because he sure smacked some 'umbke into Charles Martin which did Charles a world of good- in the personality stakes at least.
Not a bad thing really- if my kids were young and wanted to idolise a HW fighter, I would prefer them to idolise Joshua than Wilder.
His 'umble is partly manufactured, but there must be some truth to it because he sure smacked some 'umbke into Charles Martin which did Charles a world of good- in the personality stakes at least.