Anthony Joshua: Gun Shy or a Sign of Boxing Maturity?

Anthony Joshua: Gun Shy or a Sign of Boxing Maturity?

By Lewie Laing

As the dust settles on Anthony Joshua’s latest performance quicker than a pint of Forged Irish Stout, I thought I’d delve into a few of the numbers (thanks to Compubox) behind the former unified world heavyweight champion’s displays over his last 11 fights. I’ve gone back as far as Joshua’s thrilling win against the former heavyweight division ruler, Wladimir Klitschko, mainly because the Klitschko fight was Joshua’s first real world championship test, no offence to the man walking this Earth like a God, [King] Charles Martin. 

That night inside Wembley Stadium, the fight exceeded all expectations as Joshua floored Klitschko, practically punched himself out going for the kill, got dropped himself and fought fire with fire until the ref intervened in round 11 as Joshua unleashed punches with Klitschko backed against the ropes. The fight matched the size of the event, a passing of the guard almost, as Joshua reigned supreme.

The Anthony Joshua on that night in April 2017 seems a distant memory for most fight fans who watched him face late replacement, Robert Helenius last Saturday, in a fight that lasted longer than most wanted it to. Helenius should have been in Lapland visiting Santa, not sprawled out on the canvas of the O2 arena. Even with such a dramatic ending, set up perfectly by Joshua with a jab to the stomach and right hand to the unprotected chin of the ‘Nordic Nightmare’, fans continue to observe that Joshua looks tentative, caught between styles and nothing like the fighter who puts combinations together better than most. 

Watching live, and watching it back since, it wasn’t as one-sided as Tony Bellew’s commentary, but Joshua looked in control against a late replacement, working behind his jab, changing levels and using lateral movement whenever Helenius tried to move into range. Helenius did land his own shots and left Joshua bloodied and marked up, though never in any real trouble. Joshua kept a high guard and was patient in his work, not wasting much while using feints and setting traps that ultimately lured the Finnish heavyweight in and took him out.

I am not for a moment suggesting fights are won and lost on paper, because they aren’t, nor am I suggesting fight statistics tell the whole story of a fight but they do offer an insight, certainly to a specific fighter and their punch output. Now as we saw on Saturday, some fights go shorter than others but I found it interesting that Joshua, needing a standout performance and statement ahead of a potential Deontay Wilder fight, actually landed 56 jabs in just 7 rounds against Helenius, he landed just one more in 12 rounds against Franklin, showing his game plan. Compared to the fight against Klitschko 6 years ago, Joshua landed just 38 jabs that night, throwing and landing more power shots, a sign of the fighter he used to be. Against Helenius, Joshua landed just 18 of 47 power shots thrown, the lowest by some margin in all 11 fight statistics analysed. As the knockout shows, it only takes one shot, whether you throw 18 or 118.

There is a clear boxing approach now by Joshua and his team, working behind a jab and not wasting power shots. The first time we saw Joshua box and work behind the jab was back when he defeated Joseph Parker, adding the WBO belt to his collection. He landed 93 of 270 jabs that night, proceeding on the side of caution, using his height and reach to his advantage. There was no highlight reel knockout the fans had become so accustomed to, but the job was done, and that was the most important thing.

Joshua was put down against Klitschko, he was hurt badly and dropped on multiple occasions against Andy Ruiz Jr in their first fight, which was stopped in round 7. Joshua has shown that when faced with each opponent, he will stick to the game plan conducted by himself and his team. Joshua learns and adapts as best he can, as proven in Ruiz rematch. In the first Ruiz fight, Joshua threw the least amount of shots by some distance compared to the other 10 fights analysed, 176, of which only 47 hit the target. That performance once he was hurt was tentative, preserved, and just odd. However, in the rematch, Joshua again chose to box and use his range, throwing more than twice as many jabs than in the first encounter, 270 to 104. Granted, that fight was double the length, but the rematch was jab-heavy. The 7 rounds of the first fight saw a close mix of jabs and power shots. Joshua adapted, stuck to the task, and regained his world heavyweight titles, with no risks needed.

Against Usyk in the first fight, Joshua wanted to prove he could box with the best, throwing a whopping 641 punches but landing only 123. In the rematch, he went back to basics to some degree, using his size, strength, and power, throwing 492 shots in total, 280 of those were power shots of which 101 landed. His jab in that second fight, however, barely existed, landing just 23 of 212 thrown. The backhand may take you around the block, but the jab will take you around the world, or so the saying goes. Well beaten on both occasions, with both approaches proving insufficient against the sublime Ukrainian, but Joshua has always been willing to change it up, learn, and go again. 

Nothing changes if nothing changes. Joshua has taken the decision to box more than go all out for blood. But this latest KO win is not a far cry from the one he produced against Alexander Povetkin five years ago, which also lasted 7 rounds. In that fight, Joshua threw a total of 256 shots, landing 90. 53 of those landed punches were jabs, 37 were power shots of which left Povetkin practically out on his feet having been dropped moments before the ref halted the contest. Two different Anthony Joshua’s, two different coaches, two different opponents, yet a similar punch output, with the same result.

Joshua isn’t the same fighter he was. He doesn’t look the same fighter, but he certainly isn’t shy with his shots, nor is he backing away from the fire. Or past his best. A change in approach, adding to his game, and growing as a fighter after learning from previous defeats and mistakes is what I see when watching Anthony Joshua. He is now utilising his jab more, using his feet more and thinking about boxing more than just throwing big shots but is still looking for those knockout punches, just not as rushed as the times that saw him end up on the canvas, it is now a more measured approach. At 33 and with 29 fights to his name, it’s commendable that Joshua still wants to still grow and develop. Most at this stage are winding down to thinking of retirement. 

A change in approach may not be easy on the eye to some, and while it may lead to some questions, it should not be criticised or mocked. Joshua is prolonging his career, taking less punishment, being smart, knowing winning, and keeping his faculties intact. It is far more important than trying to please fans on social media who would twist on 21 regardless. Most fighters will stick to a certain style and type of fighting throughout a career, but Joshua is making small changes to his style on his own terms, adding to his arsenal, ready for all comers. 

This latest win sets up the long-awaited bout against Deontay Wilder. Talks are said to be ongoing, which in boxing could mean anything. We were promised the riches of Saudi ringside, there to greet Joshua and get the deal over the line. Instead, we got Conor McGregor shadow boxing, and Anthony Joshua got a mouth full of Forged Irish Stout as he did a lap of honour with helenium flat out on the canvas. Just another night in boxing.

Photo Credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing