Joshua, who faces Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, reflected on his journey during a recent interview ahead of his comeback bout.
“I always think to myself, how much better could I be? That’s why I’m still going because I want to look back and say I gave it everything,” said Joshua to Ring Magazine.
“I think that if I look back on my career so far, I want to give more. I wish I gave more.”
The remarks are likely to spark debate among boxing fans, many of whom have long questioned whether Joshua consistently pursued the toughest available challenges during his prime years.
Joshua captured the IBF heavyweight title in 2016 by stopping Charles Martin before adding victories over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, and Alexander Povetkin. However, several of those wins came against opponents who were nearing the end of their careers. Klitschko was 41 years old and returning from a 17-month layoff, while Povetkin and Kubrat Pulev were both 39 when Joshua defeated them.
His rivalry with Tyson Fury never came about while both held world titles, and a long-discussed showdown with Deontay Wilder also failed to come together during their championship reigns.
Joshua suffered the first defeat of his career when Andy Ruiz Jr. stopped him in June 2019 after replacing Jarrell Miller on short notice. Although Joshua reclaimed his titles six months later, subsequent losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022 prevented him from re-establishing himself as the dominant heavyweight of his era.
Joshua’s recent run has included victories over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, Francis Ngannou, and Jake Paul before he was stopped by Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Now 36 and preparing for another attempt to climb back into contention, Joshua insists his motivation remains unchanged.
“I got so much improvement to do. This is my true identity as a fighter. And I got the passion for it. I got the love for it,” said Joshua.
Joshua faces Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh as he attempts to move one step closer to another major heavyweight opportunity. Long after those remaining fights are over, however, his own assessment of his career may prove to be one of the most revealing remarks he has made.
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