ANTHONY JOSHUA had what it takes to become a Premier League footballer, according to his friend who revealed he ‘has a knack for everything’.
The world heavyweight boxing champ, 31, was a handy Sunday league footballer as a 16-year-old and David Ghansa – his training camp manager and inner-circle pal of 15 years – reckons he could’ve made the Prem.
Ghansa told Sky Sports: “He could barge people off the ball and win headers.
“At the time, he was so tall compared to everyone else and was finding his ‘man strength’.
“Charlton, QPR and Watford would always scout our team because they knew our coach.
“I felt like the next set of eyes would be on AJ because of his physical attributes.
“You could throw AJ up front and he would boot it into the back of the net or sit him at the back and let him defend.
“Could he have made it? If he applied himself fully. He has a knack for anything, it can be annoying.”
AJ ditched football for boxing, going on to win Olympic super heavyweight gold at London 2012.
He turned pro in July 2013 before winning his first world championship belt in April 2016.
Joshua confirmed his next fight will be against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev on December 12 at the O2.
The Watford-born boxer is desperate for fans to be admitted into the arena amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A win would set up a colossal all-British unification showdown with Tyson Fury in 2021 and AJ urged the Gypsy King’s most recent opponent Deontay Wilder to break his silence.
