Anthony Joshua, the British boxer, has launched a sharp critique against his longtime compatriot Tyson Fury, calling him a “fool” and accusing him of “disrespecting the sport of boxing.”
Joshua, who is preparing for his IBF heavyweight title fight against Daniel Dubois on September 21 at Wembley in the UK, still hopes for the opportunity to step into the ring with Fury to determine who is the more talented fighter.
In a recent interview, Joshua did not hold back in criticizing Fury for his behavior leading up to the fight with Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua said, “I’m glad that Fury is not the undisputed champion. I just think he’s a fool. If it were someone else, I might feel sorry for them.”
He continued, “I’ve always said he’s a fool, and he shows a lot of disrespect. I just feel he thinks that by stepping on others, it will make him feel better. That’s not how I operate.”
Joshua criticized Fury for referring to Usyk as a “rabbit” and a “middleweight,” arguing that such remarks are detrimental to boxing. “If I respect you and you respect me, we can elevate the sport, and people will see us as two of the top fighters in the world. But Fury will step on you and make you look like someone just out of a pub and not at his level. And he got beaten; he deserved it,” Joshua added.
Usyk, who currently holds the WBA, WBO, and WBC titles, will have to vacate the IBF belt for the winner of the upcoming Dubois vs. Joshua fight. Fury is set to face Usyk in a rematch on December 21. Joshua is not concerned with whether Fury retains his title; he just wants to fight Fury: “I don’t care if he wins or loses. I just want to fight him; this has dragged on for too long. Fury has avoided many fighters; he hasn’t fought many heavyweights. He needs to step into the ring with me and stop wasting my time. I don’t want to wait until I’m 40, 41, or 42 to fight him.”
With his preparation for the upcoming fight and desire to face Fury, Joshua is showing his determination and patience. It is likely that the British duo could face off against each other in 2025.
