Joshua has said he will retire if he loses to Franklin
In the build-up to Anthony Joshua’s upcoming showdown at the O2 Arena in London, this Saturday night, live on DAZN, the narrative has focused on the possibility of the Englishman losing and what he will need to do if that happens.
Joshua was straight to the point with his answer – he’ll immediately retire, he declared…
Joshua has the world on his shoulders
The encouraging news for the 33-year-old is that the latest Anthony Joshua v Jermaine Franklin betting odds list him at 1/12 to win the fight at the 02 Arena, which suggests that the Watford-born heavyweight will live to see another day.
If you’re betting on boxing with Paddy Power, then the outcome of Joshua's match with his 29-year-old opponent seems to be a foregone conclusion, after he was priced at 6/1 to beat the Englishman.
Anthony Joshua says he will retire from boxing if he loses against Jermaine Franklin… ???? pic.twitter.com/3ovCsRbnhf
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) March 28, 2023
Irrespective of whether the much-fancied Joshua comes through his challenge or not, the reality is that this level of pressure – where it is all or nothing – isn't going away until he retires.
Joshua has used up all his credit
That sadly is the price that the former heavyweight champion has to pay for losing three times in his career, to date. The stakes are as high as they’ve ever been for Joshua, following several turbulent years in the ring. One false step now and the curtain will come down on a career that once threatened to be the greatest of all time.
So, can Joshua maintain his composure by not letting the dire consequences of losing affect his performance in the future?
History tells us that, while Joshua has illustrated all the physical requirements needed to get to the summit of the heavyweight industry, he has battled with the weight of expectation when sitting on the throne. This tends to suggest that the 33-year-old is more or less capable of winning any fight in the ring but it is the all-important battle between his ears that he struggles to dominate.
Submerged ???? pic.twitter.com/frzTTqX2Dy
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) July 7, 2022
AJ admits to feeling the heat
Tellingly, Joshua has often referred to the pressure that he feels he’s put under by the media and has stated that he longs for the day when he’s retired so that he won't have to experience it anymore.
Yes, there can be little doubt that throughout his career, the Englishman has been under a powerful spotlight with the glare likely to have been severe. In this sense, you can understand Joshua’s desire for a life free of pressure but again, that is the cost that comes with the dream of climbing the steps to the top of the most unforgiving boxing division in the world.
The truth is that some professional athletes handle the demands of winning better than others and in Joshua’s case, he has to date at least, been found to be unable to rise to the occasion, which is why his overall career record now reads three losses.
While no one can say with any degree of certainty what might happen over the latter stages of Joshua’s career as he seeks to become a mandatory challenger once again, the one guarantee is that the pressure is likely to be the most intense he’s ever endured. With no room left for any more mistakes, Joshua will need to show a level of composure that has eluded him in recent times.