Fury bout with AJ ‘is a must’
CALZAGHE SAYS FIGHTERS NEED TO FACE EACH OTHER TO PROVE WHO’S BEST
JOE Calzaghe believes Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury must meet in the ring to protect the integrity of heavyweight boxing.
Joshua reclaimed the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles with a unanimous points win over Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, avenging his shock knockout defeat to the Mexican in June.
Manchester’s Fury, the former world heavyweight champion, is set for a February rematch with WBC belt-holder Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas. Their first fight in December 2018 ended in a draw.
Joshua’s next test is expected to be against the Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev in a mandatory title defence in April or May.
“I’m not really interested in Pulev - you want to see Fury or Wilder,” said Calzaghe, the former undefeated world super-middleweight champion. “They are the three main heavyweights and they need to get in the ring to see who is the best.
“The fans need to see that because they get paid enough money to fight. One name, one champion.
“Fury and Joshua are both superstars, there is no doubt about that.
“But I’m a fighter and I wanted to be the best. It’s about being the best in the division and building a legacy.
“Unless those two fight each other, I think it is going to be a disappointment. But they will have to fight sooner or later unless one of them retires, gets hurt or has a bad loss.”
Wilder displayed his prodigious punching power again last month by knocking out Luis Ortiz for a 42nd career win. The Fury draw is the only blemish on the American’s record, but Calzaghe reckons it is the self-styled ‘Gypsy King’ who would emerge on top from a threeway battle for greatness.
“I like Fury and think he is the best in the division,” the 47-year-old said.
“I thought Fury won every single round in the first fight against Wilder, except the one he was dropped in. Hopefully he can perform even better this time.
“What he’s been through is remarkable. How he’s come back from as low as he was, I think he deserves to be champion.
“It would be fantastic to see an allBritish fight between AJ and Fury. You’ve got two big heavyweights and anything can happen when those two guys land a punch on the chin.
“But I think Fury is the better boxer and I think he’s got everything to outbox Joshua and frustrate him.”
MANCHESTER’S Hosea Burton will face former British and Commonwealth champion Bob Ajisafe in the quarter-final of the lightheavy-weight Golden Contract tournament at Brentwood Centre on Saturday.
“This is basically the final,” said Burton, who is trained by Joe Gallagher. “I can beat any of these, and Ajisafe can beat any of them. We’re ruling the competition, but at least I’ll still be going through.”
Steven Ward, Liam Conroy, Tommy Philbin, Andre Sterling, Serge Michel and Ricards Bolotniks are also in the tournament.