Joshua: Anthony Joshua admits Charles Martin has an aura - but who hasn't?
'He's a bit bigger than Dillian', AJ says
Monday 4 April 2016 08:20, UK
Anthony Joshua insists that he wasn’t fazed by sitting opposite Charles Martin to film The Gloves Are Off.
The Olympic gold medal winner will challenge IBF heavyweight champion Martin on April 9, live on Sky Sports Box Office, and met his upcoming foe in a tense occasion at Sky Studios.
But having filmed a previous The Gloves Are Off episode with former opponent Dillian Whyte, Joshua (15-0-KO15) claims that the mere sight of the colossal Martin (23-0-1-KO21) is not enough to scare him.
He's a bit bigger than Dillian, he's got an aura. What can I say? This is heavyweight boxing, who hasn't got an aura?
"He's a bit bigger than Dillian, he's got an aura," Joshua told Sky Sports. "What can I say? This is heavyweight boxing, who hasn't got an aura?
"That's the first time we've come face-to-face. It was alright - we've got respect for each other, he respects me and I respect him.
"But, at the same time, there's a lack of respect due to the fact that we've got to fight each other.
"This isn't as personal. Dillian was a bit more fiery and has more to say. Charles is more laid back - until the end when he started firing."
Joshua, the British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion, insisted that he doesn't use pre-fight meetings as an opportunity to measure up opponents.
He believes that the similarly sized Martin will be crumbled when it really matters inside London's O2 Arena.
Joshua said: "No [there are no nerves]. He hasn't experienced what we're bringing to the table in the UK, so he would probably feel more butterflies than me.
"I've sized up a lot of opponents and they're all the same. It doesn't really make a difference - it's how you fight, that's what I've learned."
Joshua has knocked out all 15 of his professional opponents while Martin captured the IBF belt, which was stripped from Tyson Fury, in January after beating Vyacheslav Glazkov.
Charles Martin vs Anthony Joshua, live on Sky Sports Box Office on April 9, is available to order online.
