Boxing
Anthony Joshua believes Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder left him out to dry; jabs them over their opponents
Anthony Joshua is busy preparing for his shot at redemption — a Dec. 7 rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr. for the opportunity to take back his unified world heavyweight titles.
But the former champion can't help but think that his counterparts Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have purposely left him out to dry for a considerable amount of time by making plans of their own. After Fury and Wilder fought to a thrilling split draw last December, Wilder blasted Dominic Breazeale in May and Fury pummeled Tom Schwarz in June. Fury will face another virually unknown boxer in Otto Wallin on Sept. 14, while Wilder is set to face Luis Ortiz in a rematch this fall. Then, the two heavyweights are expected to have their own rematch in February.
"I've got something to fight for now," said Joshua on AJ: The Untold Truth, as reported by Sky Sports. "The guys I wanted to fight are tying themselves up for a year-and-a-half. They froze me out. Wilder has (agreed) his next fight with Ortiz, his next fight with Fury. We take on the best competitors in the division every time. We take challenges and Ruiz Jr. was the best of the crop that was available to me."
Joshua isn't impressed with Fury facing Wallin and Wilder prepping for Ortiz.
"Tyson Fury is fighting Otto Wallin, but nobody talks about that," Joshua said. "I fought Wallin as an amateur. [Wilder and Fury] are the cream of the crop and shouldn't be fighting those type of people. Look at the time frame of when I turned professional to when others did. And they don't want to fight me. It shouldn't be about anything else apart from the best fighting the best."
He added: "The guys who I'm supposed to fight are turning down the most lucrative offers in boxing. [Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn] told me that when I win the belts: 'You will be in a position of power, nobody will dictate to you.'
"I give people the opportunity to fight in front of the biggest crowd, the biggest global audience, get the most publicity, earn the highest purse, and to become champion. They turn it down. Credit to Ruiz Jr."
Having caught wind of Joshua's criticism toward him for choosing Wallin as an opponent, Fury fired back at AJ.
"Andy Ruiz was absolutely f—ing nobody and today is heavyweight champion," Fury said during an interview with Behind The Gloves. "He contradicts himself quite a lot actually. So, AJ, you must think before you speak, you little p—."
