Skip to content

Anthony Joshua refusing to underestimate Kevin Johnson

Anthony Joshua has stressed the importance of being ‘professional’ as he prepares for the biggest heavyweight bout of his career against Kevin Johnson on May 30, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The Olympic gold medallist has recorded 12 straight knockout wins since turning pro in in 2013 and has yet to be tested beyond three rounds.

But ‘Kingpin’ Johnson has been the distance with Vitali Klitschko, Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora and Joshua is refusing to underestimate the wily 35-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia.

“I’ve got to approach Kevin Johnson just like any other fight,” Joshua told Sky Sports News HQ.

More from Joshua V Johnson

“I’ve got to be professional and I’ve got to have the same attitude I’ve had with all my other opponents because that helped me get some good wins over them and that’s what I plan to do against Johnson.

“Preparations are going well. I had a great warm-up fight on May 9 in Birmingham and delivered a great knockout so I’m full of confidence and in good spirits ahead of my fight with Johnson on May 30.

“Johnson is very experienced so he will be playing mind games and will be talking to me while I’m in the ring. He’s hard to hit so I’ve just got to go in there with the attitude of taking each round step-by-step and break him down like a tree. I’m going to keep chopping him down till he falls.”

The American comes into the fight off the back of three straight losses but Joshua insists the American will have a point to prove in their heavyweight clash at London’s 02 next weekend.

“He’s got a lot of people that follow him and he’s got a lot to prove on Sky Sports,” Joshua said. “But I’ve also got the contender mentality myself. I’m not going in there thinking ‘I can’t get hit or I’ve got this to lose’.

“I’m just as hungry as he is so when we clash I hope he comes to fight because the first person to land I’m sure will get the knockout or the victory.”

Joshua v Johnson is part of an action-packed card headlined by Frankie Gavin challenging Kell Brook for his IBF welterweight world title. Lee Selby fights Evgeny Gradovich for the IBF world featherweight title while Kevin Mitchell has a shot at Venezuelan Jorge Linares’ WBC world lightweight crown.

Watch Joshua v Johnson live and exclusive as part of Brook v Gavin, on Sky Sports Box Office on May 30, with Mitchell and Selby also on. Book via your phone or online now. If you want to record the event, book via your Sky remote. skysports.com/brookgavin

Around Sky