“I like Roberto Duran,” Joshua said when asked by DAZN to name his favorite fighter to watch.
That version of Joshua gradually disappeared. His memorable war with Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 exposed both his strengths and vulnerabilities, but the biggest turning point came two years later when Andy Ruiz Jr. knocked him out in one of heavyweight boxing’s biggest upsets. Joshua returned six months later with a completely different approach, circling the ring behind his jab, limiting exchanges and tying up opponents whenever they closed the distance.
The transformation made him resemble the later version of Klitschko far more than Duran. While Joshua has never possessed Klitschko’s footwork, controlling jab or ability to dominate opponents with movement alone, he adopted many of the same principles: box conservatively, minimize risks, clinch when necessary, and rely on size and fundamentals rather than sustained aggression.
Against the level of opposition promoter Eddie Hearn has matched him with since the Ruiz defeat, that approach has largely been enough. Joshua rebuilt with victories over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul before suffering a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois when he attempted to fight more aggressively.
Whether his current style would withstand the division’s younger, more physical heavyweights remains unanswered. Fighters such as Moses Itauma, Daniel Dubois, Filip Hrgovic and Frank Sanchez present far different challenges than the opponents Joshua has faced during his rebuild.
It appears that question may never be fully answered. Joshua returns on July 25 against Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, with a long-discussed showdown against Tyson Fury still viewed as the likely destination if both men continue winning.
