In a recent outburst, Anthony Joshua has criticized Tyson Fury for his disrespectful treatment of Oleksandr Usyk before Fury’s own defeat. Fury, who suffered a points loss to Usyk last month, had previously mocked the Ukrainian, calling him a ‘rabbit’ and belittling his size, suggesting an easy victory.
After the fight, Fury insisted that he won easily despite most observers having Usyk as the clear winner. ‘The Gypsy King’ claims Usyk only won three rounds.
Anthony Joshua Blasts Tyson Fury
The British Knockout King Says Fury Deserved To Lose
Joshua believes Fury’s behavior was inappropriate and feels he got what he deserved with the loss in an interview with the boxing press.
“I’m glad Fury isn’t the undisputed champion. I just think he’s an idiot. I’ve always said he’s very disrespectful. He steps on other people to make himself feel better. The way he disrespected Usyk, calling him ‘rabbit’ and ‘middleweight,’ is not good for the sport. Respect lifts this sport up, but Fury’s actions bring it down. He deserves the loss.”
The relationship between Joshua and Fury, once amicable, has deteriorated over time, with tensions escalating as they failed to agree on a fight. Their rivalry intensified after a heated FaceTime call facilitated by Saudi boxing chief HE Turki Alalshikh.
Joshua, who has also lost twice to Usyk, is eager to face Fury, ideally by 2025. Meanwhile, Fury aims to reclaim his position against Usyk on December 21, expressing confidence in his ability to do so. Joshua is set to fight Daniel Dubois for the IBF world title on September 21, with a victory potentially leading to a showdown with the winner of Fury-Usyk II.
Reflecting on his career and rivalry with Fury, Joshua added, “I don’t mind anymore whether he wins or loses. I just want to fight him. Fury ducks a lot of top-tier opponents. He needs to get on with it and fight me. I don’t want to wait until I’m 40 to face him. We tried to make the fight happen, it was signed, then fell apart. Hopefully, we can finally get it on after this.”
If Joshua defeats Dubois and Fury gets revenge against Usyk, both men will have the chance to become undisputed in what will be one of the biggest fights in British history.