Anthony Joshua is waiting for the moment he can turn around say ‘F**k everybody’ to his doubters following what he believes will be an historic victory in his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr on December 7.
AJ was left feeling sorry for himself after Ruiz Jr upset the boxing gods with a seventh-round TKO victory over the Brit at Madison Square Garden on June 1 in their first bout.
Mexican Ruiz Jr sent Joshua sprawling to the canvas on four occasions and took home the WBA, WBO and IBF world title belts in what was a one-sided beatdown which many believe to have shown up key weaknesses in the Olympic gold medalist’s game.
While still a slight favourite to regain the world titles he lost, there are those who remain with doubt over Joshua’s ability to change so much tactically in just six months.
But not only is Joshua beaming at the idea of victory, he’s looking forward to sending the sternest message possible to onlookers who favour Ruiz Jr to repeat his stunning win.
“When I win, I will be like, ‘F**k everybody’,” Joshua said.
“This is fighting. One loss doesn’t take the spots off a cheetah. I came into boxing to fight, I didn’t come to be a journeyman.
“I’ve been champion, I’ve been Olympic champion, I’ve been world silver medallist. You can’t ask me about how I feel after a loss, you have to hold some regard to what we’re doing in this boxing industry, that’s probably where I’m coming a from.
“And that’s where I listen now to what people say and it’s like, ‘Put some respect by our name’. We don’t play games when it comes to boxing, we’re serious and I now after I took the loss and I’ve had time to reflect, it’s like, ‘f***ing hell, I took this sh*t seriously’.“
With victory, Joshua will be the first Brit since Lennox Lewis to become a two-time world heavyweight champion.
Sixteen thousand spectators are expected to fill out a purpose-built arena which has been erected in Diriyah, a small town plotted on the outskirts of Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh.
Saudi put up a huge site fee in order to secure Joshua’s rematch with Ruiz Jr, who had his own doubts about travelling to Cardiff, where it was thought the fight would originally land.
It was noted after Joshua’s damning loss in June that, in defeat, perhaps he had shed himself of the pressure that came with being a world champion.
But with or without world title gold strapped around his waist, Joshua insists he’ll always be the same man with the same values, stating that there’s nothing he misses about being a champion.
“No [I don’t miss anything about it]. I’ve always said the belt should never define the man,” he added.
“So you have to walk as a champion before [you’re a champion], anyway. I walked as a champion before I even had a belt. You see certain fighters come along, they get to championship level and you see their whole demeanour change.
“You see the cars, the chains… I was this guy way before I had a belt round my waist.
“So when you ask me this question, is there anything I miss, the answer is, ‘No’, because I’m the same person, through and through. With and without the belts it’s a championship mindset and a championship spirit.
“I’m not really someone who has the big trophy cabinet or something like that. This is hustle, this is grind, this ain’t about patting myself on the bath. This is strictly hustle.”