Anthony Joshua is one of the biggest names that British boxing has ever seen.
The former world champion has been involved in some stellar fights, including Joshua’s war with Wladimir Klitschko, and his redemption against Andy Ruiz Jr.
Considered to be one of Britain’s best modern heavyweights, ‘AJ’ was asked in 2014 who he believed were the greatest fighters in the division from the past.
The then-24-year-old Joshua spoke to IFL TV giving the men he thought were the five best heavyweights of all time, in no particular order.
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Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, and Larry Holmes, among Anthony Joshua’s top five all-time heavyweights
To start the list of the top five heavyweights of all time, Joshua began with Evander Holyfield. “I loved his fights where he tucked up on the inside… Works, slips, everything a trainer would ask for really.”
Joshua also said that Holyfield had ‘massive heart’ as a fighter.
‘AJ’ would then add Lennox Lewis to the list. “He played a big role in my decision turning professional, I took advice from him as a mentor.”
Joshua added that he felt Lewis wasn’t able to show off his true ability in the ring due to the era he competed in. However, the former champion says Lewis showed the ‘sweet science of boxing.’
Larry Holmes was then the third fighter mentioned by Joshua, giving special recognition to the jab that the former champion possessed. “Larry Holmes perfected it [the jab].”
Joshua went on to say that if there was a fighter he would like to compare himself to, it was Holmes.
Anthony Joshua names Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali as his top two heavyweight fighters of all time
When asked who his number two pick was for the list, Joshua named ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, “The man I would have loved to have read comic books about.”
Describing the knockout artist as a ‘beast’, Joshua said that even though they have vastly different statures, he used to try and emulate Tyson’s trademark low stance. “I used to just love the way Tyson used to fight.”
For his number one pick, Joshua went with the man he described as ‘The King of the Ring’, Muhammad Ali.
Joshua said that he didn’t make the list in a particular order but did try to ‘line up’ his rankings by preference. “It would only be right to put Ali as number one.”