Not enough people, even among the British, accord Anthony Joshua the sort of recognition and esteem that he deserves, according to his peeved promoter Eddie Hearn.
That may sound like a contradiction to some, considering that the former heavyweight champion is a bonafide superstar in his homeland of England is regarded by many as the leading light of British boxing
But Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing which promotes Joshua, feels that Joshua’s enormous success, both in the ring and outside of it, have made him out to be a convenient target of scorn and derision.
As Joshua prepares to try and win back the WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight titles from Oleksandr Usyk this coming Saturday in their rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Hearn is still scratching his head why his star charge continues to be unappreciated in some corners.
“You know one thing that pisses me off,” Hearn told SecondsOut. “I wouldn’t be here without Anthony Joshua. I don’t think you’d be here, you wouldn’t be traveling around the places you traveled, in Britain, in Saudi Arabia, yet people, fighters, are so indebted to what this guy has done. He’s always taking challenges. He’s always tried to be a role model, an ambassador for the sport for the next generation.
“Yet sometimes he still don’t get the credit, through his résumé or for the role that he’s played in the development of British boxing. I’m not asking you to get down on your knees and worship this guy. I’m just saying respect him."
Hearn said that even if critics dislike Joshua for personal reasons, they should at least give him his props for taking on some of the best fighters in his class. Joshua has wins over former champions and top contenders Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, Kubrat Pulev, Alexander Povetkin, Joseph Parker, and Andy Ruiz.
"If you don’t want to respect him for reasons of being a role model and being an ambassador, respect his résumé," Hearn said. "You know the resume in heavyweight boxing. If you don’t think it’s the best résumé in heavyweight boxing, even if you don’t it’s number two. So I don’t get it. But sometimes people are so successful some people feel like AJ’s manufactured. He’s not. He’s incredibly marketable, incredibly talented, and had an amazing career.”
Hearn also took specific aim at Joshua’s countrymen for seemingly trying to punish the heavyweight for being so successful. Hearn said that if Joshua defeats the southpaw Usyk in the rematch, the naysayers will have no choice but to embrace Joshua.
“Brits are like that, mate,” Hearn said. “When you’re losing, or you’re close to winning, the Brits love you, mate. But when you’re at the top of the tree, they don’t like it as much. It’s almost like with AJ, some have a huge fanbase, and people love him, but many go ‘nah, he’s done AJ. Off he goes, off he goes.’
“I’ll tell you what. If he wins this fight on Saturday, and I believe he will win this fight on Saturday, please give him the respect of being one of the great heavyweights, certainly of our era, but all time, because Usyk is pound-for-pound number one, unquestionable. So what are you going to say if he beats him, that Usyk was over hyped?”
