06 October 2023 , 17:44
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Anthony Joshua has accused domestic rival Tyson Fury of "ducking him" after signing to fight fellow heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Fury and Usyk could fight for the undisputed world heavyweight title in Saudi Arabia as soon as December 23 but 'The Gypsy King' will first have to get past former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on October 28. The pair meet in a crossover fight that will go on both of their professional records and Ngannou has vowed to ruin any chance of the undisputed world title fight taking place at the end of the year.
Joshua reacted to Fury's upcoming fights by telling DAZN: “I wish I could balance this, cause he’s ducking. He’s definitely a duck. Whether he’s ducking me, not right now, but he’s definitely a duck. That’s facts, like you can’t deny he’s a duck. So if we’re gonna pull out the animal cards I’m pulling out a duck with Fury.”
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Ngannou has claimed he will be forced to fight Fury again in the shocking event that he pulls off the upset, whilst there is also reportedly a two-way rematch clause for his undisputed fight against Usyk. Fury recently labelled Joshua as a "bum-dosser" and mocked his professional defeats to Usyk and Andy Ruiz Jr.
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"I don't really care what he says. He's a bum in my opinion. He's just one big bum-dosser that has been knocked out three times. He's been knocked out twice [once] and had three losses. He can't even compare in my league any more. It's not even a fight I am thinking about any more. I'm not even interested," Fury told Mail Online.
"That bubble has been burst. His virginity has been taken away so it's not interesting for me any more. He's been spanked by Usyk twice and been beaten by a fat man. So it's not in my interest to beat him." Joshua picked up his first knockout win in over two years by stopping Robert Helenius in August and has since been linked to a fight against Deontay Wilder.
Joshua vs Wilder was being planned to take place on the same event as Fury vs Usyk, but the heavyweight showdown has been delayed yet again. Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn has guaranteed the mega-fight will take place in 2024 and thinks Joshua could also return to the ring in December to stay active.