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Anthony Joshua has 'strength of George Foreman & Frank Bruno'

Last updated on .From the section Boxingcomments60

Anthony Joshua's strength like Foreman & Bruno - Audley Harrison
Charles Martin v Anthony Joshua
Venue: O2 Arena, London Date: 9 April
Coverage: Live on BBC Radio 5 live (from 22:30 BST approx) and BBC Sport website (20:30 BST)

Anthony Joshua has the "brutish strength" of George Foreman and Frank Bruno, according to Audley Harrison.

The 2000 Olympic super-heavyweight champion is backing fellow Briton Joshua to be too strong for American Charles Martin in Saturday's IBF world heavyweight title fight in London.

Harrison says "all the cards are in Joshua's favour", likening the 26-year-old to the ex-heavyweight champions.

"He lives the life of an athlete," Harrison, 44, told BBC Radio 5 live.

"He's very fit, strong and committed.

"I just think Anthony Joshua has got that George Foreman, Frank Bruno brutish strength - that ingredient that is hard to hold him off."

Watch: Anthony Joshua, Beast Mode

Frank Bruno and George Foreman
Bruno, left, won the WBC heavyweight title in 1995 and Foreman, right, is a two-time world champion

Martin has won 23 and drawn one of his 24 fights and beat Vyacheslav Glazkov for the vacant IBF belt in January.

Harrison has sparred with the 29-year-old American, whom he calls a "rugged, tall, big southpaw", but says Watford-born Joshua will have the British crowd behind him on Saturday.

"Charles Martin will be gallant, brave and it's a great fight potentially" said Harrison. "But I can't see him keeping back the steam train that is Anthony Joshua."

Anthony Joshua
Anthony Joshua defeated Dillian Whyte at London's O2 Arena in December

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60 comments

  • Comment posted by John Petrie, at 12:44 6 Apr 2016

    I am not keen on the Bruno comparison much as I love Frank. I am hoping AJ has greater resilience against the best and that this is not his Tim Witherspoon moment. I think AJ is better than Frank Bruno and can go further.

  • Comment posted by Aminur, at 13:14 6 Apr 2016

    Harrison did not say that AJ is like Bruno, he merely wrote that he has his brutish strength.

  • Comment posted by Buggletum, at 12:57 6 Apr 2016

    My thinking is AJ is more fluid than FB, i loved watching FB fight but always felt his lack of movement hampered him, he caught Tyson a real beaut but wasn't flexible enough to follow it right up, if he had been who knows how that fight might have turned out,so hopefully AJ retains that speed and flexibility that he has allied to his natural power.

  • Comment posted by Jeb, at 13:25 6 Apr 2016

    Got to love AJ. Watched most of his fights live but couldn't get tickets to this one, thanks to stubhub and the likes buying all the tickets then jacking the prices up. He's one of us, a kid from the estate who's humble upbringing I think has helped him reach the stage he's at. Great role model for youngsters showing what hard work and commitment can bring.

  • Comment posted by Old Father Thames, at 13:58 6 Apr 2016

    I saw Frank Bruno appearing with Sooty and Sweep and also when he was Aladdin at the High Wycombe Swan Theatre and he was surprisingly entertaining.

  • Comment posted by mikeb, at 14:12 6 Apr 2016

    Great he is,as strong as Bruno yet he appears much more flexible,only time will tell if he's got a Eubanks or Bruno chin though! He's a lovely young man,truly properly British,humble intense well mannered out of the ring and an animal in it,how lovely to see and hear a young British boxer not 'gobbling off' or acting like a retarded chav,all the very best to this lovely young man.

  • Comment posted by User0766887094, at 13:01 6 Apr 2016

    If Joshua turns out to be another Frank Bruno that will be quite disappointing.

    Bruno was a good fighter who didn't quite have enough to be the worlds best. Joshuas got potential to be the worlds best.

  • Comment posted by mikeb, at 13:52 6 Apr 2016

    It's fabulous to see a young British fighter showing British traits,respect humbleness added to ferocity in the ring.He doesn't gob off at opponents,doesn't raise his hand in victory before he's won,British through and through.
    I hope he's not as wooden as Bruno or as one dimensional,I hope this young man stays the lovely proud British lad he is and enjoys hard earned success.

  • Comment posted by shippy69, at 15:13 6 Apr 2016

    I for one like the guy,he's level headed with respect for any other athlete,whatever the sport. He has immense power and decent hand speed as well as pretty quick feet for a boxer his size. Joshua/Whyte proved that he has some endurance which was FB's main handicap other than having a very capable division around him. You can't compare Foreman's era as his contain 4 out of the top 5 ever heavys.

  • Comment posted by Tymble, at 16:38 6 Apr 2016

    I believe AJ has the best chance of uniting the entire division and the trash talk from Fury is because deep down he knows that to be the case too and that it will be him back quoting his neck circumference in the near future.

  • Comment posted by User0396591068, at 14:33 6 Apr 2016

    Has anyone actually read the article properly. He is NOT comparing AJ to Bruno as a fighter. Just the strength of Bruno. One thing you can say about Bruno is he was very strong. Nearly knocked Tyson off the ground. Unfortunately, he was not fighter Tyson was. If AJ gets half the love Bruno had he will be a very popular guy. Good luck to AJ and if he reaches his potential he could become a GREAT.

  • Comment posted by charlieboy, at 18:49 6 Apr 2016

    Talking killer instinct. There was one fighter that had it all, apart from killer instinct. Joe Bugner. He could survive, but not be brutal, yet he had the attributes.

  • Comment posted by User0434061049, at 21:17 7 Apr 2016

    All credit to Charles Martin for making this happen. The heavyweights have been so hard to like for years, but starting to open up now to what I think will be an exciting time for boxing.

  • Comment posted by King Pug, at 18:15 6 Apr 2016

    While AJ's muscle undoubtedly makes him strong, punching power in boxing also importantly comes from a combination of balance/technique and timing. Many have also noted that his muscle may cause him stamina issues in later rounds, and although he came through his Dillian Whyte test after being taken a bit further into the fight, there were some shaky moments!

  • Comment posted by Just Pete, at 15:40 6 Apr 2016

    @Tony - 22 - ironically, your turn of phrase paints a picture of a man who also carries little finesse or class... a man never reveals his personality quite so clearly, as when he judges another's...

  • Comment posted by Phil Taylor, at 14:26 6 Apr 2016

    As Aminur said, this article is all about comparing the strength of Joshua with that of Bruno and Foreman. Whilst I was a fan of Bruno when he boxed, I have no idea if he was a big hitter or not. I do know, from watching various documentaries, that Foreman was one hell of a big hitter, the way he destroyed Frazier proved that! So if Joshua can hit like that then great, we should all hope for that.

  • Comment posted by User0423383783, at 16:20 6 Apr 2016

    The greatest heavyweights were not muscle bound. The problem for them is going the distance against a technically skilled fighter who isn't going to allow them a knockout blow. The greatest fighters could not only knockout their opponents but figure them out quickly. They could adapt by doing enough to win the rounds if it was apparent the fight would go the distance. Can Joshua outpoint martin?

  • Comment posted by Jamie, at 17:18 6 Apr 2016

    AJ is a BEAST and I am certain will become World Champ.

    Haters are always going to hate. Usually stems from jealousy.

  • Comment posted by shippy69, at 13:39 6 Apr 2016

    Its early days yet so let's not get too carried away just yet. However,Joshua is a very skilled boxer with all the attributes to be a classic boxer but still has to fight someone with strength,speed and endurance to test his chin. Luckily for Joshua he's in an era that there's not many heavyweights who will do that so surly he'll cement himself in the history books.

  • Comment posted by Sandstone, at 14:26 6 Apr 2016

    The potential is there for all to see with Anthony Joshua,we must caution that with the fact that when you step up to elite level you are going to take shots to the chin which may render that potential as just that.

    In terms of future all British clashes I can see both David Haye and especially Tyson fury giving Joshua a massive challenge,fury in my opinion wins that all day every day.

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