Two time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has described boxing as a serious profession and not the fun and games many people believe it to be.
The Briton made the remarks after watching Ilia Topuria’s shock defeat to Justin Gaethje. Topuria suffered the first loss of his professional MMA career when he was beaten by Gaethje in the UFC lightweight championship bout at the historic UFC Freedom 250 event.
Before that fight, Topuria had compiled a perfect 17-0 professional record, with notable victories over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.
Speaking in a recent interview with Combat Evolved, the 36-year-old stressed that combat sports demand complete commitment and should never be taken lightly.
“It is not what people think it is. It is not all fun and games; it is a serious, serious, serious job, man.”
Joshua admitted he had expected Topuria to win the contest, saying the odds favoured the Georgian-Spaniard. However, he suggested the champion’s pre-fight celebrations may have distracted him from the task ahead.
“He is entitled to do what he wants, but I just took something from it, and I said get back to being untouchable, less accessible, because the fight game is so serious. You saw his face, what he went through. That is not a joke, man.”
Joshua is set to return to the ring on July 25, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he will face Kristian Prenga in a heavyweight bout after several months away from competition.
Should Joshua emerge victorious, he could finally secure a long awaited showdown with Tyson Fury later this year. While the blockbuster clash is being targeted for October or November, neither the date nor the venue has been officially confirmed.
Joshua’s lengthy absence from the ring followed the serious road accident he was involved in on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in December 2025. The crash claimed the lives of two of his close friends, while the former heavyweight champion escaped with injuries.
