Tyson Fury: Anthony Joshua heavyweight fight has to happen next year

ByEnis Koylu

Published 18/12/2020 at 13:41 GMT

Tyson Fury wants to fight Anthony Joshua next year to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. The WBC beltholder has never fought his fellow Brit but is desperate to make the fight happen after Joshua beat Kubrat Pulev on Saturday. The bout would be one of the biggest in boxing history.

Tyson Fury has criticised Anthony Joshua for not being vocal enough about their proposed heavyweight unification bout but insists the fight "has to happen" in 2021.

Joshua, the IBF, WBA and WBO titleholder, retained his belts against Kubrat Pulev on Saturday, but has never fought his fellow Brit, who kept his WBC belt by beating Deontay Wilder in February.

After beating the Bulgarian at Wembley Arena, Joshua said: "Whoever has got the belt, I would love to compete with them. If that is Tyson Fury, let it be Tyson Fury."

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Fury said on the Jonathan Ross Show: "Next year, the fight has to happen.

"He's come over his final hurdle last week against Pulev. And now we're both free to make this fight. I'm willing to do the fight. "He was asked the question: 'Do you want to fight Tyson Fury?'

"Very plain and simple, and he never answered the question. It was a simple yes or no answer, wasn't it?

"Then they said: 'Do you think you're the best heavyweight in the world?'

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"And he went [holds hands up]. Didn't answer the question. Ask me: 'Do you want to fight Anthony Joshua?' Yes."

Despite Joshua holding more titles, Fury went on to insist that he was the premier boxer in the class.

"Me, by a mile. There we go, that's how you answer the question.

"He is unified champion now, I was in 2015 before my problems and I had to vacate them all. So it'll be the first time since Lennox Lewis 20 years ago that there's been an undisputed champion."

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