Anthony Joshua has called for a long-awaited battle with Tyson Fury, despite the latter’s retirement.
Joshua and Fury appeared on course to finally settle their decade-long rivalry, until ‘The Gypsy King’ announced his retirement last month, following a second straight defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December.
‘AJ’, however still harbours hopes of a showdown with the Manchester man and feels it makes more commercial sense for him over a potential rematch with Joseph Parker, who knocked out Martin Bakole in two rounds on Saturday in Riyadh.
“I feel like Fury’s the best fight [for me],” the 35-year-old told IFLTV.
“People might say [Joseph] Parker, people might say – I don’t know.
“But I think Fury, commercially, is a great fight and it’s a great man’s fight as well. So I think it makes sense.
“You could say it’s been years in the making. But listen, the heavyweight division has been thriving.
“And why I say it’s probably still a great fight is as I said Parker is, for me, a great story of someone that never gives up.
“And the thing is, there is going to be one winner and one loser and there’s going to be bloodshed.
“And it ain’t gonna be mine.”
Joshua has not fought since a devastating fifth round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September.
Dubois was scheduled to defend his IBF heavyweight world title against Parker on Saturday, but withdrew on fight week through illness, with Bakole stepping in at 48 hours’ notice.
Asked how Parker would fare against Dubois, ‘AJ’ told Pro Boxing Fans: “Dubois had to show a little bit more.
“His fight with [Filip] Hrgovic, he had to dig deep.
“His fight with [Jarrell] Miller, he had to dig deep.
“His fight with me, it’s like he announced himself as the heavyweight slayer as he called himself.
“Dubois for me he’s just edging it.”
