Rising undefeated heavyweight puncher Jared Anderson will return to the ring on Saturday night in Toledo, against his most experienced opponent to date – former IBF world champion Charles Martin.
Anderson has knocked out all of his opponents. Martin has only been stopped by former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
The 23-year-old fighter is promoted by Top Rank, who also guide the career of WBC world champion Tyson Fury.
Anderson has trained side by side with Fury, but he’s willing to put their friendship aside for a crack at Fury’s title.
“Without a doubt. It’s always business,” Anderson told Sky Sports. “I think he’s, if not the, but one of the highest paid fighters in the game right now. So by all means. It’s a means to an end for me.”
In his last two fights, Anderson put away experienced foes like Jerry Forrest and George Arias within three rounds – and called for fights with division veterans such as Dillian Whyte and Daniel Dubois.
But Whyte and Dubois are not interested in facing Anderson – at least for the moment.
“If everybody was competitors as they say, everybody was out to be the best, they would fight,” Anderson said. “But they’re not.”
Anderson though is pursuing his own goals. Ultimately he wants to be an “icon” in the sport, an ambition he’s discussed with boxing legend Roy Jones Jr.
In the build-up to this fight he linked up with the Hall-of-Famer and believes the knowledge gained will help guide him through his own career.
Recently, Anderson spent some time with former four division world champion Roy Jones Jr. – who at one time was regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
“It was just great to work with Roy, talk with him, sit down and have a conversation with him. It was more like an interview throughout our day and a half, two days together, but it was just great to be around him,” Anderson said.
“I learned a lot from him, more in life than in boxing. We did talk about boxing but I think what I needed to meet him and see him for was more about how to lead me through this journey of my career to being what they will call an icon.”