GLORY HUNTERS
ANTHONY JOSHUA will never forgive the fake celeb fans who ditched him after his shock KO loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
AJ was the darling of the chat-show circuit with stars from sport, TV, film and music all desperate to be ringside and backstage for his run of 22 consecutive victories.
2
But he noticed many A-listers dropped him quicker than Ruiz did in his disastrous US debut in June 2019.
The Watford fighter regained the WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles before Christmas that year — but left the hangers-on in his past.
Joshua, 34, said afterwards: “I always keep my childhood pals close, I have never been a celebrity brown-noser.
I always keep my childhood pals close, I have never been a celebrity brown-noser.
“When you have a No 1 record, a No 1 film or are a boxing champion and it all goes downhill, the celebrities are on to the next thing.
“But when you are with your people, who know you for you, nothing really changes. It was the people spectating from a distance who had a lot to say.
“Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I know who I am and as I get older I am getting stronger and more resilient — no one will ever be able to break me.”
Joshua took a break from the sport after consecutive losses to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk.
But he returned to the ring last April against Jermaine Franklin and has since won three consecutive fights.
MOST READ IN SPORT
2
He is now set to take on UFC icon Francis Ngannou this week.
Discussing the bout, Joshua said: "He brings two arms, a body, but his mind is different to everyone else. In terms of his frame and make-up, I’ve seen people like him many times before.
"My main focus is Ngannou and getting through an intense training camp.
"I have got to take his mind and his spirit, it will be explosive. We can both trade and it will be a good fight."