Anthony Joshua: Meet the comeback kid

After regaining his WBA, WBO, IBO and IBF heavyweights from Andy Ruiz in Saudi Arabia on December 7, Anthony Joshua has emerged Tribune’s sports man of the year.

Where divorce has ended the life of many a kid, it was just a tumbling stone and motivation to make sense out of life for Anthony Oluwafemi Joshua.

The anguish of watching his parents separate at the tender age of 12, coupled with the sudden change in location from Africa where he had spent his early life to Europe where he would have to start life all over and adjust to totally different culture was a tall order for someone his age.

The effects were not totally removed from Anthony Joshua’s life that even when he seemed to have got his life on track, following athletic successes in high school, making a successful gamble on boxing as a career and enjoying a spectacular rise to relative prominence, he was brought down crashing to the earth when convicted of being in possession of hard drugs, with intent to supply it was reported.

The guns were out. From British nationality, he became addressed as a person of Nigerian descent.

“I brought shame on myself and my family”, he muttered.

Joshua was prepared to face the consequences of his action with his sight set on a return even though he knew the journey would be tough. In one of his conversations, the boxer “I take responsibility for my action and I try to be truthful to myself always. I knew the life I had led and I am ready to get my life back on track.”

The consequences came down raining. He was suspended from the boxing squad of Great Britain and ordered to serve a community order of 12 months, after admitting the guilt of his offence.

But he made a spectacular comeback from one of the lowest points of his life to win super-heavyweight gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Comebacks have come to define what has since become a glorious career for the 30-year old unified heavyweight world champion.

After making his professional debut in 2013, he went on a winning streak of 22 fights, obliterating the like of Klitschko, Breazeale, Butlin, Cornish and Parker to name but a few.

Then came Andy Ruiz Jr, who became a frontrunner after it was reported Luis Ortiz’s team had rejected two offers of career high purses to fight Joshua.

Terms were agreed within a week.On 1 May, with one month to go before fight night, Joshua vs. Ruiz was confirmed and announced to take place at Madison Square Garden in New York City  in the United States. It was reported that Ruiz would earn around $7 million (£5.36m) for the bout.[189] Joshua dropped Ruiz Jr. in the third round, for the first time in the challenger’s career. Ruiz Jr. beat the count, and scored his own knock down moments later. Joshua was down again towards the end of the round in a massive turnaround. While Joshua managed to survive the next few rounds, but after a further two knock-downs in the seventh round, the referee waved the fight off, therefore giving Ruiz Jr. the win by TKO in the seventh round, gaining all of Joshua’s four heavyweight titles.

At the time of stoppage Ruiz Jr. was leading the fight 57–56 on two scorecards and Joshua was leading 57–56 on the other. It is considered to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of boxing.

The biggest boxing upset in recent times happened. Joshua with four heavyweight titles was the overwhelming favourite, with the match declared a foregone conclusion.

He lost, for the first time in his professional career.

For a person who had ventured into bricklaying before boxing, who survived the separation of parents and overcame drug conviction, it would not be surprising that he would make a signature comeback just months after a career-threatening loss.

The rematch was a fight for his career and future as another loss would signal devastating consequences for AJ, as he is fondly called. Between June and December 2019, a lot was discussed concerning his mentality, ability and comeback capability.

The young man at a point took a break to visit Nigeria and touched a few places in the country as he tried to get familiar with his mother’s country. AJ has never hidden his love for Nigeria and the Afro pop music, which was created by Afro music legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti.

There had been claims in certain quarters about AJ,s nationality with some positing that the heavyweight boxer is claiming to be a Nigerian. While it is not out of place to say that his mother is a Nigerian from Ogun State, AJ himself has never hidden the fact that he’s a Briton in flesh and blood.

During his visit to Nigeria, AJ, at the African Shrine, professed his love and undying passion for the Nigerian music, especially Fela’s tune. He mixed with fans as they took turns to take pictures as he was taken on a tour of the shrine with Femi Kuti.

It was not surprising however to many when popular track, Fela’s Water No Get enemy was the tonic that AJ chose to usher him into the ring for a rematch against Ruiz, who had knocked him down some months back

Given how potentially damaging his June upset loss was to his psyche and invincibility, it’s was certainly not out of bounds to suggest that bout against Ruiz will be the defining moment of the 30-year-old Joshua’s career.

While the fight itself was far from a classic AJ’s cute transformation from gunslinger to boxer was effective enough to befuddle and humble Ruiz, who many had thought would waltz into the ring once again and knock out AJ.

From the moment the rematch was announced, both men had shown plenty of respect for each other in the protracted buildup as the fight started cautiously, with Ruiz stalking his prey and the Briton on the back foot. But shortly before the end of the opening round a nasty right hand from Joshua suddenly bloodied his opponent above his left eye.

Two judges had it 118-110, which felt about right, with a third scoring it 119-109.

It means that Joshua becomes only the fourth man in the 127-year history of the world heavyweight title to successfully regain their title in a direct rematch, from the 10 fighters who attempted it: Floyd Patterson, Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis are the others. That is the company the Briton now keeps – although he will have to kick on smartly to get anywhere near Ali and Lewis in the pantheon.

His success story remains a big inspiration to many across the globe, especially in Nigeria, never to give up on their dreams even if it seems a tall one.

With another fight already being lined up for the heavyweight boxer and with either of Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury being discussed as possible opponents, AJ is being urged not to rush to the ring again.

His subsequent win was a highlight of 2019 as the champion made a reaffirmation that he is rightly one of the most dreaded fighters of this generation. He may not be immune to setbacks but would always make a comeback in the most remarkable way that is characteristic of a conqueror.