Anthony Joshua has hit back at Tyson Fury and says he wants ‘The Gypsy King’ and the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
AJ was criticised by Fury recently after he failed to call out Tyson following his ninth-round knockout win over Kubrat Pulev.
Joshua though says however Fury may have interpreted those post-fight interviews, he got it wrong.
Joshua ‘keen’ to take on Fury
The IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight champion told Sky Sports News: “Whether he really wants it or not. I’m keen. I basically said, ‘If Tyson Fury is the man with the belts, Tyson Fury is the man I want.’ That basically says, ‘I’ll fight anyone who has that belt, there’s no problem with the person’.
“I just want to go for the undisputed championship. That’s what I was trying to say that night.”
Now that Pulev is out of the way, the path appears relatively clear for a Fury vs Joshua superfight or two in 2021. The pair have already agreed in principle the financial structure of a two-fight deal.
“I’m speaking to my management team, and I’m ready. I’m keen, I’ve got past my mandatory. Right now, I’m about less talk, more action,” Joshua said.
“But the ultimate thing coming from me, I’m ready. The next fight, I want Tyson Fury, the next fight I want the WBC champion, the next fight I want to be for the undisputed championship of the world.”
Usyk situation must be resolved
The situation regarding WBO mandatory challenger Oleksandr Usyk still needs to be resolved of course. He is due a shot at Joshua, which would delay any Fury showdown.
The Ukrainian though recently hinted for the first time that he might be open to stepping aside to allow a unification match to happen.
If Fury vs Joshua does take place with all the belts on the line, the winner would be crowned as the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis back in 1999.