Joshua makes rare London appearance at Chisora-Wilder farewell
Joshua makes rare London appearance at Chisora-Wilder farewell
Anthony Joshua returns to the spotlight in London, backing Chisora as he bows out against Deontay Wilder amid tragedy and big-fight talk.
Anthony Joshua stepped back into the public eye in London, taking in Derek Chisora’s 50th and final fight against Deontay Wilder at the O2 Arena. Dressed in a white tracksuit, Joshua arrived with promoter Eddie Hearn and walked into the arena amid a flurry of cameras. Wilder offered no acknowledgement as they passed in a tight corridor, a reminder of the rivalries that still color the heavyweight landscape while Joshua focuses on healing and the next steps in his own career.
Chisora, 50, fought a razor-close 12-round battle with Wilder, narrowly losing as he contemplates retirement and the legacy of a long career in British boxing. Joshua spoke briefly during a ringside interview, backing Chisora to win and underscoring the current boom in British boxing as a sign of the sport’s resilience.
Joshua, who last boxed in Miami on December 20 when he stopped Jake Paul, has kept a low profile following the deaths of close friends Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele in a fatal car crash in Nigeria. The tragedy, and Joshua’s own recovery period, have shaped his recent silence as fans and promoters speculate about a possible future clash with Tyson Fury.
As London’s boxing crowd roared, Joshua’s presence underscored a moment of reflection and readiness in the sport, with Del Boy’s farewell leaving fans asking what lies ahead for the heavyweight division and its many stars.
