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Anthony Joshua can finally achieve much-desired career goal against Jake Paul
Tonight, Anthony Joshua will be stepping into familiar territory.
From an Olympic final to world title fights, Joshua has fought on the biggest stages boxing has to offer, and while his upcoming clash with Jake Paul has been met with criticism, it will be one watched by millions on Netflix.
As a result of the huge audience which will be watching this fight, it will give Joshua the chance to achieve a much-desired goal, and that's become a major sporting star in the US.
Joshua experiences US debut nightmare against Andy Ruiz at MSG
If any heavyweight champion is to become a global sporting superstar, they need to crack the American market, and after headlining numerous stadium fights in the UK between 2017 and 2018, it was now time for Joshua, who held the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, to make the trip to America.
A date at New York’s historic Madison Square Garden was booked for June 1, 2019, and Joshua was set to face the loud-mouthed American Jarrell Miller. With Miller not afraid to stick it on Joshua, it felt like this was a fight which would capture the imagination of the American sporting public.
Unfortunately, Joshua-Miller was cancelled after the latter failed a drugs test and instead Andy Ruiz Jr. was drafted in as a replacement.
Joshua was an overwhelming favourite to beat an overweight Ruiz and stepping out into the Garden draped in white, it felt like Joshua had finally arrived in the US.
However, this was the only bit of joy for Joshua during what should have been a night to remember, he was knocked down four times by Ruiz until the fight was stopped in the seventh which prompted the feeling of the whole world collapsing around AJ.
After losing in such a humiliating manner, you would think Joshua would not want to return to the country in which he suffered the worst defeat of his career.
He did win the rematch six months later, but Joshua’s stock in the US had taken everlasting damage with British rival Tyson Fury filling the void.
His memorable trilogy with Deontay Wilder on US soil made him a household name for American fight fans, and you fully well know Joshua, who would have been watching from afar, will have been annoyed with not getting the attention from the boxing hot bed.
Why a Joshua knockout can win the hearts of US fight fans
What Paul does not possess in boxing ability; he makes up for in exposure and audience reach.
His fight with an ageing Mike Tyson drew 65 million viewers, a number which is the stuff of dreams, and tonight’s encounter with Joshua could generate a similar number.
For Joshua, this is the perfect opportunity to finally make himself known to US boxing fans. If he can knock out Paul in devastating fashion, akin to Francis Ngannou last year, then not only will it be seen by millions on Netflix, but it will also go viral.
This will put Joshua at the forefront of the boxing conversation in America, and sports fans can be fickle. Whichever athlete they see doing well, audiences will often gravitate towards them, consume more content about them and then become devoted fans.
Ahead of what is likely to be ‘the last dance’ for Joshua, becoming a marquee name in the US before retirement will cement him as a true great.
At the first attempt, Joshua failed to impress American boxing fans on his one and only previous visit, now a shot at redemption presents itself.
Yes, it is against someone who divides the boxing world in the form of Paul, but for Joshua, his second chance to become a major sporting star in America could not come against a better opponent.
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