Promoter Eddie Hearn opens up on a more human, real side of Joshua off camera when Joshua reacted to the news that Takam had replaced Pulev.
Everyone is human, everyone has bad days. That much is obvious.
Sometimes people can be irritable, ratty – down right obnoxious even. That’s part of the human condition, after all.
Ups and downs, smiles and frowns and all that, right?
Well, without getting too philosophical about things, the above is perhaps important to remember these days in the era of incredibly well media-trained athletes.
Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has fallen into this category in the past for perhaps been a bit over the top with the politeness and ‘stay humble’ slogan.
But you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t these days, really. If he were the opposite of the above he likely couldn’t win anyway.
But recently he was outright angry with his promoter Eddie Hearn after he learned for a second time this training camp that his opponent would be changing.
First he thought it was a Wladimir Klitschko rematch. Then a fight with mandatory contender Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria.
Only for Pulev to sustain a shoulder injury close to the fight which meant another change in opponent to Carlos Takam.
Speaking on Sky Sports News today, Hearn noted that his fighter is as human as anyone and was not pleased with him when he got the news recently:
“It’s just the initial confusion. The first time when I told him about the change. Well actually when I told him about Pulev’s injury – was after some tough session that he had in the gym. Probably the worst time to call him. I phoned him up and he had the right hump. Obviously he had been training for 10 weeks for Pulev, sparring, bringing opponents that replicate him. But within an hour everything was sorted.”
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