Many fans believe Anthony Joshua is well on his way to rediscovering the ferocious style that saw him become a two-time heavyweight champion – however one would-be rival has a different opinion.
Joshua’s rise to heavyweight stardom was nothing short of spectacular – winning his first world title after just 16 fights, boasting a 100% knockout ratio along the way.
Perhaps his most famous victory in the sport came when he defeated Wladimir Klitschko in dramatic fashion in front of 80,000 fans at Wembley Stadium. After an enthralling back and forth encounter, ‘AJ’ stopped his man in the 11th round to capture the WBA title and make him a global star.
Some pundits pinpoint his first career loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 as the moment things changed for the 34-year-old. Former supper-middleweight world champion, Carl Froch, claims Joshua has been gun shy since that night and that Ruiz ‘took a part of his soul.’
After regaining his belts in the rematch via a unanimous points decision, ‘AJ’ would go on to lose twice to the former undisputed cruiserweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk.
In the search to rediscover his form, Joshua has had four different trainers in his last six fights, but seems to have settled on Ben Davison as the man to guide him back to heavyweight gold.
Under Davison, ‘AJ’ has been near punch perfect, dispatching of Otto Wallin and former MMA champion Francis Ngannou in emphatic style, leading most to believe the ‘old Joshua’ is back.
One man not of that opinion is Martin Bakole, the heavyweight described by his promoter Ben Shalom as ‘the most avoided man in boxing’.
Speaking to iFL TV Bakole says Joshua is running from him and is still avoiding the best in the division.
“No. He’s not back for me to be honest in my opinion. Since he lost those two fights he’s f**ked.
If we was back he would fight the tops guys out there. He knocked out Helenius in round seven or eight, Wilder knocked him out in the first round – the guy came for the money. I called Eddie [Hearn] and said ‘pick me’, but they won’t because it’s a risk. If he’s world class he should fight the top guys.
No more excuses now if he wants to fight a real man I’m here, he should come and face me and people will see then if he’s back or not.”
Bakole is coming off a stoppage win against heavyweight stalwart Carlos Takam in Saudi Arabia late last year, but he and his trainer Billy Nelson continue to claim that top level heavyweights turn down fights against him.
Joshua is touted to return to the ring in September and is likely to face with the winner of Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois, with the vacant IBF title potentially on the line.
