By Keith Idec
John Skipper has Tweeted all of nine times since joining that social media platform in October.
In other words, the executive chairman of DAZN Group only takes to Twitter when he really wants to stress something. Now that DAZN has announced the Anthony Joshua-Jarrell Miller heavyweight title fight for June 1 at Madison Square Garden, Joshua’s star power is that something for Skipper this week.
Skipper, the former president of ESPN, wholeheartedly believes in Joshua’s global appeal. So much, in fact, Skipper senses that the unbeaten British superstar can become boxing’s answer to LeBron James or Cristiano Ronaldo.
That’s mighty ambitious, obviously, as the legendary James is commonly considered the best basketball player of his generation, while Ronaldo still is generally regarded as one of the top two soccer players in the world and perhaps the most established brand in a truly global sport.
Skipper is confident, though, that the streaming service he runs can help transform the IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO heavyweight champion into a transcendent star in the United States and beyond.
Here’s what Skipper stated in a Tweet sent out Wednesday: @anthonyfjoshua has the potential to be an international superstar at the level of LeBron or Ronaldo. AJ’s U.S. debut on June 1 @TheGarden is his next step to global awareness. Keep in mind, there was a time when the heavyweight champion was the most famous man in the world.
The 29-year-old Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) is eager to make his debut on American soil at the same storied venue where Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier went at it in what’s known as “The Fight of the Century” in March 1971. Joshua will join a long list of heavyweight champions who’ve fought at The Garden – a great group of legendary boxers that also includes James J. Corbett, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Vitali Klitschko and Wladimir Klitschko.
A press conference to launch the promotion of the Joshua-Miller match is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday at The Garden.