04-17-2020, 04:37 PM
Let's get it on': Anthony Joshua calls for undisputed heavyweight fight with Tyson Fury
13:47, Apr 17 2020
Fury: 'Not bad for an old fat guy who can't punch?'
Tyson Fury addresses the media after beating Deontay Wilder to win the WBC heavyweight title.
Anthony Joshua has urged British countryman Tyson Fury to agree to showdown to find an undisputed heavyweight champion, telling him: "Let's get it on".
Joshua reclaimed his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles with a dominant points win over Andy Ruiz Jr in their December rematch in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
Fury then captured the WBC crown with a seventh-round stoppage of Deontay Wilder two months later to become a two-time champion, leaving Britain in full control of boxing's glamour division.
And now Joshua has stepped up his quest to claim the only belt missing from his collection, issuing a challenge to Fury to meet in the ring as soon as possible.
"If you [Fury] really want to say you're No 1, come fight me. Let's get it on. I've got the rest of the belts so it only makes sense," Joshua told Sky Sports in the UK.
"I'm the unified heavyweight champion of the world, he's the WBC champion. What it will prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.
Anthony Joshua holds the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO belts – and wants to add Tyson Fury's WBC crown to his collection.
"Logically to prove yourself as No 1, I have to fight Tyson Fury. He has to fight Anthony Joshua."
However, both men have obstacles to overcome first once the sport returns from its coronavirus-enforced hiatus. Joshua is obliged to defend his IBF belt against mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, while Fury must meet Wilder in a trilogy fight after the American exercised his right to a rematch later this year.
Both contests have been pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down sport globally.
In the meantime, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has speculated that a unification clash with Fury might take precedence over their other obligations should boxing not return until late in the year.
Fury and Pulev share the shame US promoter, Top Rank, raising hopes that a deal could be made for Pulev and Wilder to step aside.
"It would be amazing to tell Pulev 'I think it's best if you step aside for now' and to tell Wilder 'we have bigger fish to fry'," Joshua told Sky Sports.
Tyson Fury smahed Deontay Wilder over seven rounds in February to claim the WBC belt, but must face him a third time.
"'Enjoy your Alabama chicken while we get cracking in the UK!'
"That fight [with Fury] needs to happen because there will never be another time like this again."
While sworn rivals outside the ring, Joshua was full of praise for Fury's performance against Wilder, saying he had out-fought and out-thought the hard-hitting yet one-dimensional American.
"We've seen in some of his [Wilder's] fights, it's been difficult for him and then he lands his punch and he's been victorious, but I always believe that when you go to war, you can't have one weapon in your arsenal, which was his right hand," Joshua said.
"Once that was taken away from him, which Tyson Fury did, I'm not going to go into tactics, but he was able to annihilate Deontay Wilder and expose him for some of his weaknesses.
"Tyson Fury did a great job tactically and I'm looking forward to their rematch."
Meanwhile, fallen champion Ruiz Jr has expressed interest in teaming up with Eddy Reynoso as he continues his search for a new trainer to revive his faltering career.
Reynoso is the trainer of Ruiz Jr's Mexican compatriot Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, a four-weight world champion widely considered the pound-for-pound best in the sport.
Andy Ruiz Jr is keen team up with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's trainer Eddie Reynoso as he looks to rebuild his faltering career.
"We're talking with Canelo's team, I think that would be a good one for me to join if we go that way," Ruiz Jr said.
"Right now there hasn't been any contract signed, but I would like to go with Team Canelo."
Ruiz Jr had previously been strongly linked with veteran coach Teddy Atlas after splitting from longtime trainer Manny Robles in the wake of his one-sided loss to Joshua in December.
But their potential partnership appears to have soured after Atlas likened his eating habits to those of a drug abuser.
Reynoso is interested in working with Ruiz Jr, telling ESPN "it would be an honour to work with the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent".
Reynoso gym is in San Diego, California, Ruiz Jr's home state. Ruiz Jr is on friendly terms with Canelo, who travelled to Saudi Arabia to support him in his rematch with Joshua.
Stuff
13:47, Apr 17 2020
Fury: 'Not bad for an old fat guy who can't punch?'
Tyson Fury addresses the media after beating Deontay Wilder to win the WBC heavyweight title.
Anthony Joshua has urged British countryman Tyson Fury to agree to showdown to find an undisputed heavyweight champion, telling him: "Let's get it on".
Joshua reclaimed his IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles with a dominant points win over Andy Ruiz Jr in their December rematch in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
Fury then captured the WBC crown with a seventh-round stoppage of Deontay Wilder two months later to become a two-time champion, leaving Britain in full control of boxing's glamour division.
And now Joshua has stepped up his quest to claim the only belt missing from his collection, issuing a challenge to Fury to meet in the ring as soon as possible.
"If you [Fury] really want to say you're No 1, come fight me. Let's get it on. I've got the rest of the belts so it only makes sense," Joshua told Sky Sports in the UK.
"I'm the unified heavyweight champion of the world, he's the WBC champion. What it will prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.
Anthony Joshua holds the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO belts – and wants to add Tyson Fury's WBC crown to his collection.
"Logically to prove yourself as No 1, I have to fight Tyson Fury. He has to fight Anthony Joshua."
However, both men have obstacles to overcome first once the sport returns from its coronavirus-enforced hiatus. Joshua is obliged to defend his IBF belt against mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev, while Fury must meet Wilder in a trilogy fight after the American exercised his right to a rematch later this year.
Both contests have been pushed back due to the coronavirus pandemic that has shut down sport globally.
In the meantime, Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn has speculated that a unification clash with Fury might take precedence over their other obligations should boxing not return until late in the year.
Fury and Pulev share the shame US promoter, Top Rank, raising hopes that a deal could be made for Pulev and Wilder to step aside.
"It would be amazing to tell Pulev 'I think it's best if you step aside for now' and to tell Wilder 'we have bigger fish to fry'," Joshua told Sky Sports.
Tyson Fury smahed Deontay Wilder over seven rounds in February to claim the WBC belt, but must face him a third time.
"'Enjoy your Alabama chicken while we get cracking in the UK!'
"That fight [with Fury] needs to happen because there will never be another time like this again."
While sworn rivals outside the ring, Joshua was full of praise for Fury's performance against Wilder, saying he had out-fought and out-thought the hard-hitting yet one-dimensional American.
"We've seen in some of his [Wilder's] fights, it's been difficult for him and then he lands his punch and he's been victorious, but I always believe that when you go to war, you can't have one weapon in your arsenal, which was his right hand," Joshua said.
"Once that was taken away from him, which Tyson Fury did, I'm not going to go into tactics, but he was able to annihilate Deontay Wilder and expose him for some of his weaknesses.
"Tyson Fury did a great job tactically and I'm looking forward to their rematch."
Meanwhile, fallen champion Ruiz Jr has expressed interest in teaming up with Eddy Reynoso as he continues his search for a new trainer to revive his faltering career.
Reynoso is the trainer of Ruiz Jr's Mexican compatriot Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, a four-weight world champion widely considered the pound-for-pound best in the sport.
Andy Ruiz Jr is keen team up with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez's trainer Eddie Reynoso as he looks to rebuild his faltering career.
"We're talking with Canelo's team, I think that would be a good one for me to join if we go that way," Ruiz Jr said.
"Right now there hasn't been any contract signed, but I would like to go with Team Canelo."
Ruiz Jr had previously been strongly linked with veteran coach Teddy Atlas after splitting from longtime trainer Manny Robles in the wake of his one-sided loss to Joshua in December.
But their potential partnership appears to have soured after Atlas likened his eating habits to those of a drug abuser.
Reynoso is interested in working with Ruiz Jr, telling ESPN "it would be an honour to work with the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent".
Reynoso gym is in San Diego, California, Ruiz Jr's home state. Ruiz Jr is on friendly terms with Canelo, who travelled to Saudi Arabia to support him in his rematch with Joshua.
Stuff