SM
Watford vs. Leeds: 18 hrs 35 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Anthony Joshua recalls GB exile for cannabis possession

:Headline: Anthony Joshua recalls GB exile for cannabis possession: ID:381467: from db_amp
The Briton will bid to regain the world heavyweight titles in Diriyah.

Anthony Joshua has revealed how his boxing career almost went up in smoke following a drugs conviction in 2011 – and how a subsequent painful loss rekindled his passion for the sport.

Joshua is completing preparations for the so-called ‘Clash on the Dunes’ in Diriyah as he looks to regain the world heavyweight titles and reverse his stunning loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in June.

The 30-year-old was initially kicked off the Great Britain squad after admitting possession of cannabis – then suffered a stoppage defeat to Mihai Nistor at the European Championships within weeks of being invited back.

Anthony Joshua suffered a shock defeat to Andy Ruiz in New York (Nick Potts/PA).

Joshua told the PA news agency: “After I got kicked off the GB squad I went back to Watford and started smoking again and tried to forget all about boxing. I thought – and I could use different language – ‘This is nonsense’.

“Then two weeks before the Europeans they called me up and said, ‘We want you to compete’. I got to the quarter-finals and got stopped, but I knew if I’d been fit I would have beaten the guy.”

Four months later Joshua suffered another defeat in the World Championship final to Magomedrasul Medzhidov, who is scheduled to fight Hatfield’s Tom Little on the Saudi Arabia undercard.

But in many respects his single-point reversal in the Azeri’s home city of Baku proved the making of Joshua, who had also scored a notable win over double reigning world champion Roberto Cammarelle in the quarter-finals.

Anthony Joshua with his Olympic gold medal from London 2012 (Julien Behal/PA).

“I got myself fit and ready for the worlds and got beaten by the Azeri in Azerbaijan,” recalled Joshua.

“The Olympics were coming up in London and being a Londoner I told myself I was going to win that.”

Joshua’s third and final amateur nemesis, Dillian Whyte – whom he subsequently went on to beat as a professional – is also set to appear on the Saudi card.

Despite that reversal coming in a novice contest in 2009, Joshua maintains there are lessons from that fight which linger and have continued to inform his attitude during his rise to superstar status.

“There's nothing wrong with taking losses - it's just an experience and you learn from those situations”
- Anthony Joshua

“I had won my first two fights as an amateur by knockout, so for my third one I told all my boys to come and I got knocked down, so I thought, ‘F*** that, I’m going to keep it low-key’.

“There’s nothing wrong with taking losses – it’s just an experience and you learn from those situations.

“If you correct your wrongs and don’t shy away from them, you can always bounce back.”

amp_article__381467 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-12-02 18:48:03:
html db last update - 2021-03-06 14:48:21 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Anthony Joshua

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .