Joshua: It’s time Fury learned some respect
WITH confirmation due imminently of the heavyweight superfight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua has taken a swipe at the latter’s status as the lineal champion of the sport’s marquee division. It is understood that WBC champion Wilder will face Fury in the US on December 1, with an announcement expected next week. Fury himself has made a regular play of the fact he never lost the WBA, IBF and WBO belts in the ring and that he remains the true champion following his return from a two-anda-half-year absence owing to mental health issues and a positive drugs test. But Joshua, who defends his titles against Alexander Povetkin at Wembley on Saturday week, said: ‘You’ve got to have a bit of respect. You can’t expect the whole division to go on hold. He had his issues and paused for three years. The whole division can’t wait and sit down, the ball keeps rolling. ‘Good luck to Fury, Wilder and myself. But when all’s said and done, I won’t be that geezer in the pub telling war stories about, “I was the lineal champ”, I am not that type of geezer. I am focused on my own career.’ Joshua has a Wembley booking for April 13, for which he wants to face the winner of Wilder and Fury. He insists he does not have a point to prove after being taken the distance in his victory over Joe Parker. He said: ‘Name me a fighter who has a better record than me after 22 fights? I ain’t got to show anything.’
Sky Sports Box Office will exclusively show Joshua v Povetkin on September 22 from 6pm. Available to buy now at www.skysports.com/joshua.