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Sport

24th Nov 2017

Anthony Joshua has an interesting reason for not respecting Tyson Fury

Bit of an unfair assessment

Darragh Murphy

Anthony Joshua likes finishes.

Joshua has yet to require the judges’ scorecards in his 20-fight career and he’s clearly not the biggest fan of point-fighting.

The undefeated Brit remains on course for his plan of three fights in 2018 and, if everything plays out as it should, Tyson Fury will be one of those opponents.

‘AJ’ and Fury have gone back-and-forth on social media in recent weeks, with Fury predicting that he’d finish the London 2012 gold medallist inside eight rounds.

Joshua has now delivered his own prediction for how a potential meeting with the controversial heavyweight would go down.

“Fury. He’s just awkward, tall and I think he’s a bit of a nutjob to be honest with you. I think he’s just got a bit of a screw loose. Any man with a screw loose… they just have a little something that you can’t put your finger on. So with Fury it would be tricky to figure him out,” Joshua said, courtesy of Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts/Sports Tonight.

“Fury would be a real breakdown job, a real gruesome type fight. Kind of like that Klitschko fight – I’ll go to hellfire and back to get the win.”

Wladimir Klitschko is the only common opponent of both men and while Joshua finished the Ukrainian legend, many fight fans were more impressed with the dominance Fury showed against Klitschko when they clashed in Dusseldorf two years ago.

Joshua was dropped by Klitschko in the sixth round whereas Fury put on a masterclass as an underdog, displaying impeccable head movement and footwork to avoid any offence.

But, interestingly, Joshua points to the fact that Fury boxed cleverly against Klitschko as the reason that he lost respect for him.

“Fury boxed twelve rounds and ran,” Joshua said. “I don’t respect that. If I’m the King of Dubai in the olden days and a different empire comes to take my territory, you don’t come and steal my treasure – that’s what Fury’s done I think.

“He stole the boxing from Klitschko in the sense that he just boxed and moved. If an up and coming king wants to take the king’s treasure, you look him in the face and put the dagger in his chest. You don’t stay from afar and slash, slash. You go to war and that is what me and Klistchko did.

“The new king is announced if you really dethrone the old king, you knock him out and took him out of the throne and now you sit on the throne. If you go to points you’re only as good as the last champion. You have to knock out the old champion to show you’re stronger and fiercer.

“If I went out there and went 12 rounds with Klitschko then we are just as good as each other. The judges made the decision on the fight, I went out there and knocked him out. I took the belts from him. I didn’t leave it to judges.”