Heavyweight world champion wants Kubrat Pulev and Deontay Wilder to clear the way for a unification fight with Fury
Anthony Joshua has called on his next opponent Kubrat Pulev and Tyson Fury’s next rival Deontay Wilder to step aside and pave the way for an all-British fight to find the undisputed heavyweight world champion once the sporting lockdown has ended.
Joshua, who holds the IBF, WBO and WBA belts, told WBC champion Fury he has no claim to be the division’s No 1 until they meet in the ring.
“If you really want to say you’re No 1, come fight me,” Joshua told Sky Sports on Thursday. “Forget our opponents, let’s make an undisputed champion.
“Let’s get it on. I’ve got the rest of the belts so it only makes sense. I’m the unified heavyweight champion of the world, he’s the WBC champion. What it will prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.
“Logically to prove myself as No 1, I have to fight Tyson Fury. And Fury has to fight Anthony Joshua. It would be amazing to tell Kubrat Pulev, ‘I think it’s best if you step aside for now’ and to tell Wilder, ‘we have bigger fish to fry’.
“Enjoy your Alabama chicken while we get cracking in the UK. That fight needs to happen because there will never be another time like this again.”
Joshua insisted that his own break due to the coronavirus pandemic has enabled him to rethink his career: “Without a shadow of a doubt. Life was moving at such a fast pace before, I couldn’t have time to look back and assess the footsteps I had taken.
“Now I’ve taken time to really look at myself, moving forwards into the next chapter of my career. From a mental and physical standpoint that should put me in good stead because I’m well rested. My mind is settled, my body is settled. When the fire gets going again, it will be a roaring blaze.”
Wilder, meanwhile, revealed he has had surgery on a torn biceps muscle suffered in his one-sided defeat to Fury in Las Vegas in February.