Joshua ready to ‘overcome’ career setbacks against Dillian Whyte

Anthony Joshua has insisted he is getting his career on the right track ahead of his huge domestic showdown with Dillian Whyte next month.

The 33-year-old is looking to rebuild after successive losses against Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022. He returned to winning ways by outpointing Jermaine Franklin in April, but delivered a lacklustre performance that drew criticism from fans and pundits.

That fight was his first under new trainer Derrick James after Joshua decided to move away from home comforts to team up with the American in Texas.

Having failed to shine against Franklin, questions have been raised about whether the change in environment has benefitted Joshua.

The two-time world champion is happy with his current set-up, though, and feels he is doing everything right to get back to the top of the heavyweight division.

‘What’s beautiful about sports is there’s always a next opportunity to prove yourself, so no matter what happens, there’s a process that I’m following and I just know that if we look at history, everything will work out for me,’ he said.

‘I’ve just got to ride the wave, stay consistent, stay focused and when the opportunity presents itself… everyone can write you off, but if you believe in yourself and you continue on your journey, 100 per cent you will overcome.

‘Only you can defeat yourself. Not anyone else.’

Joshua claimed he would retire if he lost to Franklin, but he now appears to have no plans to hang his gloves up any time soon.

After making a name for himself as a knockout artist in the early stages of his professional career, Joshua has now gone almost three years without a stoppage win.

There are doubts about whether Joshua still has the spitefulness in him that saw him dominate boxing’s blue-riband division, but he believes he should not be written off just yet.

‘If I give up and I’m like, “Yeah, I haven’t got it anymore”, then you can say I’m not the same fighter. But I just know this is going to work,’ he continued.

‘People look at you like you’re crazy, which people probably think now, (asking) “why is he not being aggressive?” I just know what I’m doing is going to work at the right time.’

Joshua’s next test will come against fellow Brit Whyte at a sold-out O2 Arena on August 12.

Their first meeting in the professional ranks came eight years ago, with Joshua knocking Whyte out with a vicious uppercut in the seventh round.

Joshua is unsure whether Whyte has improved since, and has questioned why his rival has changed trainers so regularly in recent years, but admits it will not be an easy night’s work in the capital.

‘What Dillian lacks in certain areas, he makes up for in others. Has he improved? I don’t think he’s improved massively but he’s maintained his standard,’ Joshua concluded.

‘Look how many times he’s moved trainers. He’s moved trainers so many times. Maybe he’s not developing at the rate he needs to, or people aren’t teaching him the things he needs to learn and it’s not good enough. He probably knows it himself.

‘That’s probably why he’s moved trainers so much. I was thinking about this the other day. He was with Okoh, Tibbs, Xavier, Buddy McGirt, Johnathon Banks, but one thing that he has got is the fight and in America they call it the dog. He’s got the dog in him.’