AJ’s just a big cuddly baby – Tyson Fury’s verdict

Anthony Joshua strikes fear into most heavyweight boxers, but Tyson Fury says he’s just “a big cuddly baby”.

The British pair appear to be on course for what would be the biggest fight in British boxing history – a blockbusting showdown to unify the world heavyweight titles.

Fury holds the WBC and Ring magazine belts after a devastating seventh-round TKO of American Deontay Wilder in Las Vegas in February. Joshua meanwhile regained his IBF, WBA and WBO titles by outpointing Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia last December.

Now media speculation is frenzied that Fury vs Joshua could be next – despite the fact Fury is contracted for a third fight with Wilder and Joshua is similarly signed up to face mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev.

While the all-British clash would likely smash existing domestic records for live gate and PPV buys, Fury doesn’t think it would be a difficult assignment for him inside the ropes.

He told ESPN: “100 per cent, Joshua’s not dangerous, at all. He’s like a big cuddly baby. Why would I be a believer when he got knocked spark out by Andy Ruiz? A last-minute replacement opponent.

“Turned up 300lbs or whatever, didn’t train, and Anthony Joshua couldn’t do any good with him in the rematch. He doesn’t have anything, he couldn’t hold a candle to the ‘Gypsy King.’

“There’s only one heavyweight out there, there’s only one undefeated world champion. They’ve all fallen by the wayside, the fellow that hasn’t gotten beat, has knocked them out. I’m the only one. Me. The ‘Gypsy King’. Unbeatable, the untouchable, unbreakable champion.”

Fury believes Wilder represented the biggest threat to his domination of the heavyweight division, and now that threat has been nullified, it’s all plain sailing.

“I don’t see anyone out there that can challenge me. I just flattened the best one out there. The toughest opponent out there is Deontay Wilder and we all saw what happened to him the last time out.”