Former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua has fired off some verbal jabs at his domestic rival, Tyson Fury, over his most recent performance against MMA veteran Francis Ngannou.
Fury has often referred to Joshua as being nothing more than a “bodybuilder” with limited skills.
However, Joshua believes that a bodybuilder, Ngannou, taught Fury a lesson.
“Bodybuilders up, dossers down. He just looked like a flat slob that just can’t fight. He says that bodybuilders can’t fight, but he got smacked up by one. I’ve always wanted to get in the ring with him. He does a lot of talking, calls me a bodybuilder and stuff, but I want to marvel at the African power – he’s a bodybuilder, steps in and smacks him up for me,” Joshua told TNT Sports Boxing.
Back in October, Fury faced Ngannou in a crossover boxing match in Saudi Arabia. Fury was dropped in the third round, suffered a cut on his forehead from an uppercut, a badly bruised eye and he struggled with the style of Ngannou. After ten rounds, Fury came away with a razor-close ten round split decision win in a fight that most had expected to be a mismatch.
Joshua felt Ngannou did enough to pull off an upset.
“I think Ngannou won,” Joshua said. “But the judges are there for a reason, they score it how they score it and they’re professionals at what they do and I’m just an observer. Fury won, but from a fan’s point of view, I think Ngannou won.”
On December 23, Joshua will face Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia. Wallin’s sole defeat came at the hands of Fury. A win over Walling will place Joshua in position for a potential 2024 clash with Deontay Wilder, who appears in the co-feature in a crossroads clash against Joseph Parker.