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The legendary Jerry Izenberg on extent of Anthony Joshua's untapped potential

Certainly for those who witnessed it live and from the euphoric aftermath, Anthony Joshua's epic ...



The legendary Jerry Izenberg o...
Golf

The legendary Jerry Izenberg on extent of Anthony Joshua's untapped potential

Certainly for those who witnessed it live and from the euphoric aftermath, Anthony Joshua's epic victory over Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley on Saturday night had the feeling of a landmark moment.

On one hand, a great champion fought bravely but ultimately lost out to a fighter viewed as a shining beacon for heavyweight boxing, sparking excitement about what is to come.

Heavyweight boxing has seemed to be in the doldrums for some time as the time since the great eras of the past fades into distance.

But what is next for Joshua and how much potential does he have to measure up against some of the legends of the sport? 

Legendary boxing writer Jerry Izenberg has seen the all time greats in action with his own eyes and gave his take on his expectations.

"I'm very impressed by Joshua, I really am," he told Off The Ball.

"I liked him among all the heavyweights that are out there now and I believe he is improving. And it's a steady improvement and I think he can be something.

"All things are relative, but if he improves 15%, he'll be far better than anything out there."

Izenberg was "impressed" by how restrained Joshua was in the fifth round after knocking Klitschko down for the first time.

"The next time he got him down, he knew what to do," Izenberg continued.

"And he saved that uppercut. That's his best punch but he doesn't, unlike a lot of other fighters, throw it because it's his favourite punch. He throws it because it's the time to throw it." 

While victory was impressive, flaws in Joshua's approach can still be noted - most notably by the fighter himself - although Izenberg predicts vast improvements to come. 

"Winning this fight will make him better," he said, adding that Muhammad Ali "became a fighter after beating [Sonny] Liston the first time."

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