Joshua vs Parker: AJ is a big hit… but Tyson Fury, Lennox Lewis, Frank Bruno and Joe Bugner were all better

FOR almost a century, British heavyweights were ridiculed because of the position they held in the world — which was usually horizontal.

The US took delight in sneering as the big men from these shores failed again and again to win the richest prize in sport.

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JOSHUA VS PARKER LIVE AJ loses a stone ahead of unification blockbuster with Kiwi

Dorothy Parker — wit, Hollywood script-writer and merciless mistress of the pitiless put-down — hit a nerve when she scathingly said: “If all the British heavyweights were laid end-to-end we wouldn’t be surprised.”

Cornishman Bob Fitzsimmons, was the first of our world heavyweight champions when he KO’d Gentleman Jim Corbett in 1897.

But we had to wait 96 years before Lennox Lewis emulated “Ruby Robert”, to put an end to the jokes from across the Atlantic.

Anthony Joshua, is Britain’s seventh world champion since Lennox Lewis dominated the division for a decade from 1992.

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Joshua, since his sensational victory over Wladimir Klitschko 11 months ago, has had the nation eating out of his huge hands.

The public have fallen for our gentlemanly giant as he out-Brunos Frank Bruno in popularity.

It’s remarkable to think that, in AJ’s three stadium fights, up to 250,000 besotted souls will have watched him in the flesh.

He has endeared himself to boxing fans as he does what men of his size and power are meant to — brutally finish off his rivals before they hear the final bell.

And AJ has charmed everyone else with the way he handles himself away from the ring.

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There is no talk of wanting to put his rivals in hospital, no four-letter words, no night-life scandals.

He behaves as a national hero should — with dignity, humility and respect for those he fights.

Now Floyd Mayweather Jnr has thrown away his golden gloves, Joshua — with his perfect 20 KO record — finds he is the most sought-after fighter on earth.

The US cannot get enough of him. Major cable network Showtime will beam tonight’s Principality Stadium unification clash with Joseph Parker back to the States.

If, as expected, he blows away unbeaten Parker in Cardiff to add the New Zealander’s WBO belt to his WBA and IBF crowns, his status will go stratospheric.

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Joshua, 28, would then need just the WBC belt from Alabama’s blue-eyed boy Deontay Wilder to be undisputed champ — a feat last achieved by Lewis.

So just how talented is AJ? And where does he stand in the pantheon of Britain’s large lads? After he ended Klitschko’s glittering career, one of my young colleagues dubbed him a mix of Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.

I’m afraid that’s a farcical statement. What he has done in his five-year climb towards the summit is outstanding — but he must be put in perspective.

Klitschko is the only class rival he has met and the big Ukrainian nearly won it, dumping AJ on the canvas in the sixth round.

The veteran found him easy to hit and I’m sure if he had been a few years south of 41 he would have stopped him.

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Joshua was unimpressive five months ago as he laboured to beat Frenchman Carlos Takam, who was an llth-hour substitute for Kubrat Pulev.

Joshua is honest enough to admit he is a work in progress.

Looking back on his Klitschko fight, he said: “One win doesn’t define you. People want to see how long you can keep reigning as the king of the jungle.”

There is no doubt AJ in full swing is extremely exciting but still some way off being great.

I’ve seen all of the 36 British and European title-holders since the 1960s and I believe four, in their prime, would’ve beaten him.

Lewis, as big and powerful as Joshua, was a much superior all-round technician.

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Once his jab had softened him up, he’d have bombed him out.

The Tyson Fury who out-thought and outpointed Klitschko with his unorthodox skills would have mesmerised Joshua too.

But after his long lay-off we may never see that Fury again.

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JOSHUA VS PARKER LIVE AJ loses a stone ahead of unification blockbuster with Kiwi

Joe Bugner, a master of the defensive arts, would have had too much ringcraft. Ali and Joe Frazier failed over 39 rounds to knock Bugner out. Same with AJ.

And Bruno, who was very much better than he got credit for — and could perhaps punch harder than Joshua — wouldn’t have let him off the hook like Klitschko did.

AJ may never be acclaimed as the best all-time British heavyweight but he will be the richest by far. No doubt he will happily settle for that.

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• talkSPORT is the only place you can listen to radio commentary of the huge heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker.
• Adam Catterall, Dom McGuinness, John Rawling and Glenn McCrory will be ringside at the Principality Stadium to bring you live coverage from 8pm. Listen on DAB, through Sky Channel  0108 or on .