Anthony Joshua - Punching Above And Beyond His Weight

Jessica Ennis maybe the poster girl for London 2012 and in the forefront of most peoples’ consciousness when choosing their favoured British athlete for the Olympics. However, there is a boxing colossus hailing from North London, who, well after the Olympic flame makes its circuitous route to Rio, will be talked about in the same reverential terms as our beloved heptathlon.

You cannot but be impressed by Anthony Joshua. At 6ft 6in he’s built like a NFL linebacker but moves in the ring as if was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing – with grace and poise. These commendable assets are accompanied by a left hook that Joe Frazier would be proud of – and ‘Smoking Joe’ had a great left hook!

These skills were in ample evidence when Joshua claimed a silver medal at the World Amateur Championships in October 2011, after losing a thrilling final by a point. Along the way the super-heavyweight defeated Italy’s double and reigning Olympic champion Roberto Cammarelle.

Having guaranteed his place in the GB Boxing team, the 22-year-old is not short of confidence when it comes to his prospects at next summer’s Olympics. He said: I’m made for it. I am not overwhelmed by it. Sometimes I think this is what I was supposed to do. I will deal with it all right. I feel I am heading in the right direction.”

Surprisingly, he cites Audley Harrison – who won Olympic gold in 2000 – as an inspiration figure and one of the reasons why he took up the sport just 4 years ago.

“A lot of people have got bad things to say about Audley but for British Boxing he opened up so many gates. I know he didn’t do too well as a pro but he was an ABA, Commonwealth and Olympic champion as a boxer and he is British.”

Regarding his boxing future after the games, the Londoner is in no hurry to make a decisive decision just yet about turning professional.

He said: "I cannot buy the experience I am getting now. As soon as I turn pro I have no other options. I want to get the most out of my amateur career. I am going to an Olympics and then if I was going to turn pro I would have done everything I could as an amateur. I don’t want to rush anything.

“If turning pro is the best thing for me at the time I’ll do it but if going to Rio for the 2016 Olympics and staying amateur is then I would do that.”

Whatever career choice Joshua makes, it seems inevitable that his name is guaranteed to be on the lips of most sporting aficionados before, during and well after Olympics have come to a close.

Boxing Clever For Gold

Adams (in red) seeking Olympic Gold at 2012 Games

The 14th August 2009 is a date very much etched in the mind of Nicola Adams. The Leeds boxer knew then that her lifetime ambition of Olympic glory could now be finally realised. The International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board (EB) announced on this day the inclusion of women’s boxing for the Games in London in the 2012 Olympics. The three weight classes that women would be able to fight included flyweight (48-51kg) – the weight that Adams competed at and over the last 5 years had earned her reputation as a genuine Olympic gold medal prospect for her country.

The 27-year-old opens up to Graff-iti Worth Reading, revealing her personal ambitious leading up to the London 2012, her own route into the sport and her unadulterated optimism for the future of women’s amateur boxing in Britain.

Many boxing experts regard you as our best Olympic Boxing prospect male or female. How do you regard your own chances of winning gold at the London games?
The first task will be to qualify (at the World Championships in May) and provided I do that and maintain my form, I am confident I can do well. I have a good track record (2 world silvers and European gold) and think that if I box my best then I will be difficult to beat.

Who do you consider your main rivals for Olympic gold at the London Olympics?
I think it has to be Cancan Ren from China. I lost to her in the final of the world championships in September 2010. She’s the person I would be most concerned about.

What age did you start boxing and why did you choose that particular sport?
I was around twelve at the time. My mum took me to the gym for exercise. I really enjoyed the sport and I have stuck with it ever since.

If it wasn’t boxing what other sport would you of tried and why?
I have not really tried too many others sports. I have done boxing from being relatively young and it is the thing I excel at.

How did it make you feel to be to the first ever British female boxer win a major boxing title at the European Boxing Championships?
It was amazing. I have got a lot of silvers so to finally win a gold was a breakthrough. The timing was also very good as we build up to the Worlds and then the Olympics.

Who were your childhood boxing heroes and who do you currently admire now either male or female in the sport?
The boxer I enjoyed watching was Sugar Ray Leonard. I loved his style and panache. Among the current crop of boxers, I do admire Amir Khan. I think he’s an outstanding fighter.

Some critics still disregard women’s boxing. What measures in your opinion would it take to change this misconception?
I think the critics are few and far between nowadays and when you do have a discussion with them about it, eventually it becomes pretty clear that their attitude is grounded in chauvinism or they just don’t like boxing outright. As far as I am concerned any arguments over women’s boxing have been well and truly won. We are in the Olympics, the sport is thriving at the grassroots, it is very popular with politicians and policy makers and when it comes to 2012, I think the sport will widen its fan base even further.

How do you see the future of British women’s amateur boxing between now and the next Olympics in Rio in 2016?
I think the Olympics will give the sport a significant boost. It will raise the profile of the sport and I think that will lead to further increases in participation. At the elite end, I hope we will see an expansion of the number of weight categories for 2016.

Do you regard yourself as a role model for females who are considering taking up boxing and what advice would you give for girls wanting to embrace the sport?
My advice would be if you enjoy it then do it. A lot of people do non-contact boxing, which is a great way of getting fit. If you want to progress to competitive boxing then find a good club linked to the ABA and go through the ranks that way.

Boxing is great for fitness but it also delivers a lot of other benefits to people and communities in terms of getting kids off the street and giving them discipline and a focus.

I have spoken at the House of Commons about these issues to MPs and cabinet ministers. The sport is very popular with politicians because they recognise it delivers a huge amount of good in socially excluded communities.

Aside from boxing what other Olympic events and competitors are you looking forward to watching at London 2012?
Has to be Rebecca Adlington in the swimming. Not only is she a great athlete but a great role model for young women and so down to earth. Like everybody else I am looking forward to watching Usain Bolt on the track.