Does media hype for Joshua make you root for opponent

Take it with a pinch of salt. Hype comes with the territory. I’m not a big fan of Joshua’s personality - he does seem very scripted and I roll my eyes when he tries to be philosophical. But, he gets far too much stick considering what he’s achieved in just 20 fights (and how he’s achieved it). He lives the life, is always in great shape and is exciting to watch. Everything else is irrelevant really.

 

I like Joshua and what he's unintentionally doing for the sport of boxing. Having said that he just comes across as someone who gets loads of media training and isn't himself. Hes also obviously quite mentally fragile which is what makes the Wilder fight so exciting.

It just makes you respect Ali more; the way he spoke on real topics, with real conviction and overwhelming confidence. In this world of endorsements I guess you can't speak your real thoughts anymore.

 

I wanna see him lose because his totally fake and who doesn't want to see him get beat up based on the stuff his said and the fact his a former drug dealer

 

British fans are never happy and always find fault with anybody who is having a little success, it has always been that way, no matter what sport it is.

 

Yeah. He’s the unified heavyweight world champion of the sport. He should be absolutely everywhere.

 

I personally don't view boxing as a national sport where I'm obligated to support a UK fighter. It tends to be that I do... but not always. Take Whyte v Browne. To be honest I identify much more with Browne, and would likely have much more in common with him, than with the British boxer Dillian Whyte. On top of that I would have liked to see Browne have one last tilt before retirement, so I happily supported him. With AJ I feel carbon neutral, I've done my best to avoid interviews with him (which seem quite sparing anyway) and if there is, say, an IFL interview with him I might well skip it in a way I wouldn't with many other boxers. I think like someone else said that corporate sponsorship makes for bland and uninteresting tv. I think I'd like Parker to spud him.

 

Well, I want a good fight, no mismatch. I hope Parker makes a great fight, he is a huge underdog, is not supposed to have a chance, so I would love to see him knock Joshua down.................however, I would support Joshua over Wilder, I can't stand Wilder, he is a fraud..............Wilder refused to fight Whyte for $4,000,000!

 

He is absolutely everywhere. The only way he could be more about would be if they started flying a blimp about the country with his naked torso on it or released a commemorative ten pound note with his coupon on it.

 

after the klit fight I am a lot more forgiving in terms of his exposure because he proved something. he showed bad weaknesses but the more important thing he did was show he would fight through a very bad spell if he has to, he didn't fold which is something I expected. I was rooting against the hype train before that point.

regardless of the phony stuff which can be irritating, the fact is he is a real fighter that will go in the trenches if he has to.

The comparisons to other greats is silly but that always happens when the new champ comes along. the question is will he prove he deserves to be mentioned with them in the next few years.

 

He's fake TV which is garnered towards all the self important reality TV addicted idiots.

I'm not a fan, there's no real depth in the division and Hearn constantly referring to him as "Anthony Joshua" makes my **** fizz.

 

There's time yet....

 

Yeah hopefully he will get his dues if he beats Parker.

The British public and media need to appreciate that if he beats Parker he will unify 3 of the Heavyweight titles and he will become the first British heavyweight to do this within the last two years.

Such a thing doesn't happen every year.

 

Fury didn’t unify the belts. He beat an already unified champion. AJ will have had to beat 3 separate champions to hold 3 belts at this stage and have had to have beat 4 champions to unify the whole division. Fury has had one world title fight in his life...

 

Anyway... mayweather didn’t do too badly from people rooting against him...

 

The difference for me there is that Mayweather’s image was partly based around people disliking him.

Joshua’s carefully managed image is designed to be as mass-market as possible and win fans.

I don’t like him much and must admit I always hope he loses. Too much of a manufactured product. He is an exciting fighter though.