‘I’m fighting with the spirit of thousands of people I’m trying to help’: Joshua talks motivation to continue boxing

Anthony Joshua will challenge Daniel Dubois for his IBF heavyweight world title.

Anthony Joshua will take on Daniel Dubois on Sep. 21 at Wembley Stadium as he attempts to regain a world title, and discusses the fight as well as his drive to continue boxing despite having already had a very lucrative career. Joshua says he’s fighting more for other people at this stage of his career, and that motivates him to continue. Check out some excerpts of what Joshua had to say below.

Joshua on if he needs to be his absolute best to overcome Dubois

“Probably better than my absolute best to beat Daniel. I respect him as a fighter. Yeah, I do. He is very, very talented and I like the — I look at the pros in people and I like family, the synergy with his family. It plays a part, it plays a massive part, the influence that families have in a fighter’s career. I think that is helping Daniel along the way.”

On if he’s disappointed a Wilder fight didn’t come to fruition

“No, the fight can still happen. For me, why not? I’ve always said it’s not a big deal for me, it is what it is. I get paid to fight. I used to fight for free, a lot. Now I get paid to fight so it’s no problem. Let’s say strip away the bright lights and the trash talk and stuff, it’s only a fight. So, yeah, I’d fight Wilder.”

On if he’s surprised on how quickly Dubois has made his way to holding a major world title

“Yeah. They have belief in him, that’s why they keep giving him these opportunities. So someone out there believes in him and he keeps getting opportunity after opportunity. It reminds me of the Frank Bruno story, he had opportunity after opportunity to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world and sooner or later he got it.”

On what motivates him to continue fighting

“One of the main reason right now is my community. I want to fight for charities because I want to set up sustainable charities...I believe in sustainability and creating an ecosystem and I fight now not just for myself — because I have everything I need, not in the sense that I’ve got everything I need, but I’m quite settled with what I need. I’m good, I’m happy, I’ve got my tracksuits in abundance, I’ve got my trainers in abundance, I’m blessed. So it’s more so now, we’re trying to create something to help other people. So when I fight, I’m fighting with the spirit of thousands of people that I’m trying to help behind me. So it’s just not for myself.”