Comments Thread For: Charles Martin: Anthony Joshua Scared To Fight on April 9

[joe strong]

If wilder vacates then joshua is the #2 & would be in line to fight povetkin. He is also the next in line for Martin. He has options if wilder vacates. Even if he doesn't vacate joshua would be in line to fight stiverne in an eliminator. The takam eliminator is looming too. He has options...

[Clegg]

I didn't think AJ looked too great against Whyte and needs more time to develop before facing the best. Then again Charles Martin isn't exactly the best. I hope it gets made just for the potential excitement value involved.

[Cuban Linx]

Almost fell out of my chair laughing when I read the headline...

I'm sorry, I can't take Charles Martin seriously.

[Baltimore]

If Joshua's team wanted him to grab a belt this seems like the easiest opportunity they are gonna get. I'm guessing they think he could beat Martin but then wouldn't want the pressure of having to defend the belt against opponents Joshua isn't ready for yet.

[about.thousands]

picking up a belt now would paint a massive target on joshua's back. no point nicking a paper title before you're ready to fight the best in the division, otherwise you'll end up in the situation wilder is in. if i'm hearn i use 2016 to get joshua fully prepared. he should fight a tough guy (jennings?), a mover (scott?), a puncher (stiverne?) and finally the EBU holder (pulev?). by that time haye might have snatched martin's IBF and then we've got a british megafight on our hands - two in a row if tyson fury is still the man

As Hearn said, if Joshua won a world title in his next fight, it might actually stop his development as a fighter because he's then being thrown into the big fights when he still has more to learn and still needs to be tested more. So why rush him when those fights will still be there in 3 or 4 fights time because Joshua brings a lot of money to the table.

As a boxing fan i would rather see him fighting good opponents now, but i understand why they're taking their time with him and it's probably the right call.

Agree with the rejection, although a very winnable fight, AJ would have to to step up and start defending against the top heavies, dont see whats the rush to do that, hes still young, still got a lot to learn, the dillain whyte fight was the 1st time he was in a competitive fight, needs a few more of them against better opponents before getting to the title, as said by another 'cant be doing a wilder' fighting unknown heavies afta winning title.

If Joshua's team wanted him to grab a belt this seems like the easiest opportunity they are gonna get. I'm guessing they think he could beat Martin but then wouldn't want the pressure of having to defend the belt against opponents Joshua isn't ready for yet.

Who are these top Heavies ya'll talking about? Wilder? Fury? Klitschko? Ortiz? After the Whyte fight Hearns said AJ would be ready for a top fight in 18 months or so. If he beats Martin in April that would put him right on track for the bigger fights. He'd have a year to defend the IBF. What's the hold up?

[yoshik]

For anyone to think too deeply about this is ludicrous. Martin is INDEED a farce. Amir Khan would beat him. Please. Wins the belt without landing a meaningful blow. Seriously. Please.

[Tobi.G]

Joshua is not ready to be a champion. Its good that his team is holding him back for now. The guy needs more practise.

[theface07]

Martin beats Glazkov on a very suspicious, possible dive stoppage and now all of the sudden he thinks he's some kind of monster. Joshua has some more developing to do before he goes for world titles but even at this stage, I think if the fight was made he would flatten Martin. Whatever momentum and hype Martin has developed from his one decent win against an opponent who never legitimately beat anyone decent to get to a world title opportunity, will come to a crashing half if he actually faces any of the top 10 heavyweights with the possible exception of Malik Scott because he would probably take a dive like in his fight against Wilder. Maybe there is potential in Martin but for the time being, he looks slow as molasses and hasn't proven anything yet.

[Earl-Hickey]

I would have taken this fight if i was hearn, 100%

[SkillspayBills]

Once again, fighters aren't ****ing scared of each other. They will gladly get it on if they are compensated.