For Anthony Joshua, the doors toward becoming a world champion again have opened up. His emphatic win over Francis Ngannou has enabled him to now move toward the belts he lost to Oleksandr Usyk in their 2021-22 fights. Will his next target be the undisputed status of the heavyweight class?
On the 18th of May, in another Riyadh fight, the WBC titlist, Tyson Fury will fight WBA/WBO/IBF champion, Usyk to determine who among them will be the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era. When that fight happens, it will hold big stakes for ‘AJ’, as he now, from a macro-lens remains next in line to challenge whoever emerges as the undisputed champion. Is he certain that he wants to take that path?
AJ fights for the fans
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AJ notes that the burden of calling for a fight now remains on whoever wins between ‘The Gypsy King’ and his Ukrainian opponent. Present at the recent Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, only a day after his Francis Ngannou fight was the Londoner. As he awaited to witness the race, he was roped in by Sky Sports for a quick conversation. The interviewer quizzed the 34-year-old if he will fight the winner of Fury vs. Usyk.
The fighter explained with all smiles, “And in terms of Usyk and Fury, it’s really upto them. I’m only a phone call away… I’m Only a tweet away if you can tweet me. Yeah, I can make the door.”
The interviewer, then pressed if it were Fury that AJ would fight next, would such a fight be set in Saudi Arabia or on English soil? Joshua replied, “I’ll fight him in his back garden. It don’t matter to me. I’m a fighting man, you know what I’m saying? Wherever, whenever, however, it don’t matter. It don’t. We deliver for the fans, that’s the main thing.”
While that is what AJ has to say about a fight against either Usyk or Fury, the Gypsy King had more to add on this front.
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Tyson Fury Reacts to Anthony Joshua’s Win
Post fight, speaking to DAZN, the 35-year-old, WBC titlist initially praised AJ. He noted, “AJ did absolutely fantastic and lit him up with a right hand, if he fights me after I beat Usyk twice then it will be a different game.” Two fights? Well, it is possible that whoever loses the upcoming May fight between Fury and Usyk, they’d invoke a rematch clause, making sure the confrontation extends into a second bout.
He continued, “He has to keep active and maybe he can fight Filip Hrgovic for the vacant IBF belt.” At present, the mandatory challenger for the IBF belt, held by ‘The Cat’ is Hrgovic. In the event of their rematch clause being activated, the IBF title will be vacated and will be taken on by the Croatian fighter. Next in line, however, remains AJ.
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Also Read: Eddie Hearn Pens Message Lauding Anthony Joshua After Francis Ngannou KO Win: “Better Than Ever”
Which fight do you think would be more interesting? A third one between AJ and Usyk? Or a much-awaited clash between him and Fury? Take your picks in the comments section below.