Anthony Joshua Refuses to Engage in Mental Warfare with Tyson Fury
The boxing world awaits the announcement of the heavyweight unification showdown between undisputed IBF/WBA ‘Super’/WBO World Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) and WBC World Heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) finally becoming a reality. It has been talked about ever since the two verbally agreed to fight each other in June of 2020. However, negotiations continue to persist as the fight has not been finalized. Both men have had plenty to say about the much-anticipated showdown. They want the fight not only for the fans but for their legacies.
Fury claims Joshua would be an easy fight. Yet he has also warned he will move on if a deal is not done. While on vacation in March, the fighter nicknamed “The Gypsy King” said he is drinking 10-12 pints of lager a day and is not thinking about Joshua.
JEALOUS ONE’S ENVY?
During a sit-down interview on the Deeney Talks podcast, host Troy Deeney asked Joshua about Fury’s claims. In his mind, the unified heavyweight champ views this as merely Fury playing mind games. He says the WBC heavyweight is not fooling anyone.
“The man will talk about drinking pints and he’s not interested. But yet he wants to look chiseled, he’s training the hardest he’s ever trained. He’s the skinniest he’s ever been. He wants to have a good body and be well-prepared.
But AJ has a good body, he’s chiseled, trained, and he’s a bodybuilder. Yet Tyson Fury would do the same thing if he could. So, these are the games of psychological warfare.
What they call me is what they want to be. He wants to have a six-pack. That’s why he’s training as hard as he’s training right now, why he looks so chiseled, why he’s in America training right now.
So with what he said, it’s psychological warfare to make me not want to believe in myself. However, I understand what this is about, and I am everything he wants to be.”
RELATED: Tyson Fury On Anthony Joshua: “He Only Got His Career Because Of Me”
I’M THE MAN
Joshua went on to say that Fury is attempting to downplay him and the significance of the fight. In his mind, it is time to acknowledge the reality of this event. He ended the discussion about Fury by saying he refuses to fall for the okey-doke.
“I’m honored, I’m humbled. I know it’s going to be tough, but I truly believe I’m tough enough to go through it.
I’m not going to give Tyson Fury credit. I’m going to give myself credit and say, I know how good I am, I’ll know how well prepared I will be, and I’m looking forward to the fight.
I don’t need to belittle the man. He can do what he wants. I know I’m the man of this division, and I will be for a long time.”
PAR FOR THE COURSE
Back and forth talk is commonplace in boxing. Fighters use wordplay to get under an opponent’s skin. This is what is happening here between Joshua and Fury. In the end, the testing point is what happens once they step into the right. It is where the rubber meets the road. Let’s hope Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury get the chance to settle their issues inside the ring.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
