Anthony Joshua was described as having to deal with a late change of opponent for his heavyweight bout in London on Saturday as “another stone in the shoe towards the top”.
Joshua, a former two-time world heavyweight champion, is set to fight Dillian Whyte in an all-British fight at the O2 Arena, but it was called off after Whyte returned “adverse analytical findings” in a doping test. So, now it will be measured in Robert Helenius.
Joshua went head-to-head with Helenius for the first time at a press conference on Wednesday and said he has a responsibility not to let the people down. “Late replacements aren’t perfect, but this is the third time it’s happened. We had Kubrat Pulev and Carlos Takam, Jarrell Miller and Andy Ruiz Jr., so this is it,” Joshua said. “A long career presents these kinds of obstacles and I just have to get used to them. Yes, this is it. another stone in my shoe towards the top of the mountain”, summed up.
Joshua fought just three times in the past two and a half years, losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk, and watched his career grind to a halt. He sought to revive it with new American coach Derrick James, where he won a unanimous decision against Jermaine Franklin in April. Now, he will try to continue his good feelings.
Source: La Verdad
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