Boxing News Boxing News
Following months of continuous speculation over whether or not Anthony Joshua, the Olympic Super Heavyweight Gold Medallist at the London Olympics, would follow the example of his teammates Hull’s Luke Campbell the Bantamweight Gold Medalist, Lowestoft Middleweight Anthony Ogogo, who collected a bronze medal, and Thomas Stalker, in joining the professional ranks, the first steps in what many hope will be a long and decorative career for Joshua have been announced.
The 23 year old Joshua will hear the first bell as a professional prize-fighter at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday the fifth of October against in a six round contest against an opponent who has yet to be announced.
Joshua’s debut will feature alongside Lee Selby’s attempt to clinch a Lonsdale belt outright against against Cromer’s Ryan Walsh and former British Super-Featherweight champion Kevin Mitchell’s 10 round contest against Dewsbury’s Gary Sykes.
Should Joshua come through this first step in the long and hopefully glorious journey that will make his professional career, he shall appear three weeks later at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield on the undercard of Kell Brook’s toughest match up to date in the shape of the former WBA Welterweight champion Vyacheslav Senchenko of Ukraine.
Senchenko’s last visit to these shores saw him deliver a crippling left hook to the body of Ricky Hatton, that saw Hatton not only counted out of the contest, but also counted into retirement where this writer, like many British fight fans, hope that his retirement shall remain permanent, so that he can fully focus on his burgeoning career as promoter and trainer.
But it shall be Joshua’s burgeoning career in the professional prize fighting ring that shall be generating the interest and one hopes that his broad shoulders can take the weight of expectation that has been placed upon him.
