“Either one!”
Anthony Joshua is understandably not interested in a mandatory challenger next as he sets his gaze on another lucrative outing in the boxing ring.
Joshua proved his previously questioned staying power by claiming a unanimous decision victory over Joseph Parker in Cardiff on Saturday night, when he employed the perfect gameplan to outbox his opponent.
Neither fighter was in danger at any point of the heavyweight unification bout but it was Joshua’s technique and strategy that saw him through the other side of his 21st trip through the ring ropes.
Another one for the collection 👌
👑👑👑👑#JoshuaParker #RoadToUndisputed pic.twitter.com/zi2fOpP8hm
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 31, 2018
Talk immediately moved to his next opponent and ‘AJ’ was in little doubt over who he wanted to share the ring with next.
“[Deontay] Wilder or [Tyson] Fury, either one,” Joshua said when asked who he wanted.
“What would I have to do to beat Wilder? Get him in the ring and I’ll knock him spark out.”
After adding the WBO crown to his collection, Joshua could go down the unification avenue by attempting to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis by taking on WBC title-holder Wilder or he could agree to be one half of the biggest all-British fight of all time by meeting Fury, whose comeback is almost upon us.
👑 @WorldBoxingOrg ✔️#JoshuaParker #RoadToUndisputed pic.twitter.com/ueYPiEXhRc
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) March 31, 2018
One thing’s for sure, Joshua doesn’t feel the need to break America.
Joshua said: “All these years, UK fighters have had to go to America. Everyone had to spend a heap of money to go to Las Vegas. We can do it in London at Wembley or in Cardiff. It’s local. We’re staying right here.”
In all likelihood, Fury will require at least a couple of tune-up fights before he is fit enough to fight a world champion while Wilder has remained in the conversation for almost a year.
‘The Bronze Bomber’ has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons this week and turned down the opportunity to be in Cardiff to confront the winner of Saturday night’s tilt.
“Deontay Wilder was supposed to be here tonight but he pulled out,” promoter Eddie Hearn said.
“In his last fight, he boxed in front of about 6,000 or 7,000.
What a messed up point of view https://t.co/O7HU56nfCO
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) March 31, 2018
“They don’t want it. They’ve never approached us.
“Anthony is here. He fights all of the champions and he wins all of the belts. At 22 fights, he has the chance to be the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Don’t forget how fast he’s moving.
“Deontay Wilder’s team have never contacted us. He talks the talk, he doesn’t want to walk the walk and, as ‘AJ’ says, if he wants to come here then he’ll get knocked spark out.
“We’ll do it anywhere but, listen, look at where he boxes. He boxes at some great venues with nobody there. Look at what we’re doing over here. Look at what Anthony Joshua is doing. Deontay Wilder, if you’re watching right now, this is called a show and this is called a crowd. He will not beat ‘AJ’ in front of all these people.”
