Anthony Joshua, the former unified heavyweight champion, is at a crucial point in his career. After almost a year out of the ring due to a knockout loss and elbow surgery, the Olympic gold medalist is back in the spotlight, not only for a possible fight with Jake Paul, but for a surprising challenge from a retired boxing icon: Andre Ward.
Joshua’s response, inspired by some controversial statements made by Canelo Alvarez, has ignited social media and generated intense debate in the boxing world.
Anthony Joshua’s response
Ward, who retired from boxing undefeated in 2017 and is a Hall of Famer, admitted in a viral Instagram video that the only fight that would tempt him to return to the ring would be against Joshua. Although he acknowledged that it would be a big risk for his legacy, he said that “if the business was right”, he would face AJ at Wembley Stadium
Ward’s bold statement quickly drew a response from Joshua, who recalled Canelo Alvarez’s words against Ward, when the Mexican accused him of seeking the fight only for money, and responded with a blunt phrase: “Payday, payday (Canelo)”.
Different motivations
Anthony Joshua’s response to Andre Ward was not only a simple dismissal, but also touched on a recurring theme in boxing: the motivation behind fights. By invoking the words of Canelo Alvarez, Joshua hinted that Ward’s return, like his previous challenges to Canelo, could be motivated primarily by money.
Ward responded to the criticism, pointing out that “business is always a reason, but not the only one”, making it clear that the prestige of a fight against a heavyweight like Joshua is also an important factor.
The debate about the reasons for seeking a fight is already underway, and although many are only looking for the passion of the sport, it is a fact that behind it all there are large sums of money to which everyone, without saying so, wants to have access.
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