On 30th May at the O2 Arena in London, Heavyweight hopeful and Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua will be facing the sternest test of his short time in the professional ranks. The 6'8" man from Watford, England will face former world title contender Kevin ‘The Kingpin’ Johnson in what will give us an indication as to how good he really is.

It was win number 12 this weekend with a clinical second round stoppage against Brazilian Raphael Zumbano Love in Birmingham. A win which also saw a 12 consecutive KO within three rounds. But despite this, there are many critics out there who feel Joshua needs to step up in the level of his opponents. Those critics don’t see Johnson as much of a threat with Joshua fully expected to win. But 12 fights in to his professional career, he is facing a man who is vastly experienced and who should at the very least provide a test. Johnson may have 6 losses on his record but has never been stopped in a career spanning 12 years and even took Vitali Klitschko the distance in a unanimous decision loss in 2009. Four of his losses have come in his last five fights and two of them to Joshua’s fellow Brits, Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora.

At 35, Johnson is no spring chicken but if Joshua can dismantle him in just a few rounds, then what a statement that will send out to the heavyweight division. He has a great promoter and there has been some careful matchmaking so far in his career, but Joshua is already on the radar of champions Wladmir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder, having spent some time sparring the former in 2014.

Aside from his undoubted talent,  it is Anthony Joshua’s attitude and personality that makes him such a promising prospect. Boxing is full of characters and for every brash cocky fighter, you do get the odd humble, down to earth fighter. But there is something genuine about Joshua’s humbleness and his desire to succeed.

In a recent ITV Documentary, Joshua talked of his troubled past and dealings with the law. When asked if in dark times he ever thought he’d be such a successful fighter, he said that before he even took up boxing he always knew he’d be successful at something.  Being an elite sportsman is about percentages. Those who will go that extra percent, make that extra sacrifice, have that extra willingness and drive, those are the athletes who will go on to be the very best.

Last year, Deontay Wilder was asked in an interview:

“Do you know who Anthony Joshua is?”

Wilder responded by saying:

“No I don’t but I’ll YouTube him and then knock him out!”

They asked the same question to Joshua, who said:

“Of course I know who he is. In a few years time when I have to fight him I will have known all about him, I will have the upper hand.”

That example illustrates Joshua’s attitude to the fight game. He talks about training as ‘studying’ and a fight as an ‘exam.’

Joshua not only has the physical attributes, the natural talent and the skills but he has the brain to use them all to his advantage. These are exciting times for British Heavyweight boxers and this writer for one can’t wait to see where the Anthony Joshua journey takes him.