“He’s a nice guy outside the ring but a nasty m*********** inside it,” according to Sean Murphy, one of the coaches from Finchley Amateur Boxing Club in Barnet where Joshua’s journey started.
The unbeaten IBF heavyweight champion’s career reaches a new peak on Saturday when he takes on Wladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium.
Murphy, the former British and Commonwelath featherweight champion who was given a brand new BMW by his former pupil this week, said: “You see a different person in a ring when it’s win and lose. He comes across a nice person, but he’s a nasty mother****** when he wants to be.
“He wouldn’t have achieved everything he has if he wasn’t. He knows when to turn it on.”
Joshua has not lost touch with Murphy and the gym he first walked into in 2008, from which he had 26 bouts with just one defeat to Dillian Whyte, a loss he would avenge in the pro ranks.
There was a novice title and ABAs before England scouts and GB performance director Rob McCracken spotted him. Then came Olympic super-heavyweight gold in 2012, and 18 straight knockouts in the professional ranks.
McCracken will be in his corner on Saturday night, having drawn on his own experience of a big night at Wembley, when he guided Carl Froch to a knockout win over George Groves in 2014.
Joshua fought on the undercard then, but his 83-second win over Matt Legg came when the sun was still shining, and before the stadium filled.
“My experience there helps,” said McCracken. “I just need to get it across that it is a boxing ring no matter if it is in a huge arena.
“AJ is aware of that. He’s already boxed at Wembley, he’s been in the big stadium. It’s a big night and a massive fight. Klitschko will come out as he normally does looking very confident, but it is Anthony’s job to take that confidence away from him.
“He’s 41 years of age and that has to show as long as Anthony executes the game plan and does what he is supposed to.”
Froch sings a similar tune, describing the Wembley atmosphere as “gladiatorial” – and he must find his own calmness in the maelstrom.
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Anthony Joshua has been labelled a nasty motherf***** ahead of his fight with Wladimir Klitschko
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Anthony Joshua is going up against a much more experience opponent in Wladimir Klitschko
“It is unbelievable because it is outdoors, the noise is fantastic, it sounds like a modern day Colosseum,” said Froch, who held the WBA, IBF and WBC versions of the super-middleweight world title.
“Fighters don’t usually experience that because they’re usually in an arena, where the noise is more intense as it bounces off the roof.
“In a stadium it is gladiatorial, you’ve got the fresh air of the outdoors and you have the massive crowds.
“You are there in the middle of the pitch with everyone there to see you. I loved it and I’m a nervous fighter, but I just relished that.”
Joshua has yet to face anyone in the class of Klitschko.
The Ukrainian former world champion may be a fading force at 41 and coming off a defeat by Tyson Fury 18 months ago, but he is a world away from the likes of Charles Martin, who Joshua beat to win the title.
“This is his first test,” said Froch. “He will be feeling it and thinking, ‘Wow – this is a massive stage, massive pressure. Am I good enough?’
“When I walked into that crowd at Wembley, I knew I was good enough and I knew I was going to win because I knew I beat him already even though I was ill prepared for the first fight.
“Joshua will be thinking, ‘Oh dear, this is it’. It will be tough for him but he can do it. The pressure is on his shoulders.
“It’s a long walk to the ring, but if he has done the work then he will be confident he will get the job done.”
