Joshua: Fury fight is fantasy, he’s not fit
IT WOULD be one of the biggest fights in British boxing history – but Anthony Joshua says meeting Tyson Fury this year remains a mere ‘fantasy’.
Fury has been out of the ring for more than two years following problems with drugs and depression. Meanwhile, Joshua has become the unified champion and poster boy of the heavyweight division, but now the selfstyled Gypsy King is training for his proposed return and last week Fury challenged Joshua to meet him in his comeback fight.
But for now, AJ is targeting the other two world champions — Joseph Parker and Deontay Wilder — as he bids to become the first undisputed heavyweight king since Lennox Lewis.
A spring clash with Parker should be finalised in the coming weeks, while a Wembley Stadium blockbuster against Wilder is being touted for this summer.
Joshua believes making these two fights within the next 12 months is possible. But on a fight Fury with Fury in 2018, he said: ‘That’s more of a fantasy at the moment. It’s just that he’s not fit and he hasn’t had a fight.’
Joshua, 28, is not even convinced they will meet before the end of 2019. ‘The ball is in his court. We’ve stayed consistent, we’ve defended the titles we’ve won and we’ve captured more titles,’ he said. ‘If Fury was still fit, we would probably be talking about Fury for March. It’s not me. I’m definitely consistent and ready to fight anyone.’
Joshua is enjoying his first venture outside the ropes, helping promote the all-British clash between Isaac Chamberlain and Lawrence Okolie on February 3.