AJ: “I Think Usyk Wins….But For My Own Selfish Reasons, I Want Fury To Win”
A smiling and seemingly most chilled out Anthony Joshua spoke with IFL TV last night UK time, and the former two-time heavyweight champ spoke not only about his own fight with Francis Ngannou, but about the big one between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. Also, perhaps surprisingly, AJ said fights with Dillian Whyte (who was recently “cleared” after failing that drugs test that scuppered his rematch with Joshua in August) and Deontay Wilder could still happen for him.
Joshua says he is picking Usyk to get the win over Fury on May 18th.
“I think Usyk will win,” Joshua said when asked his prediction. “Yeah. I’ve always, well, I dunno if I’ve always said it, but I think Usyk will win. That’s a great question (who do I want to win)……..probably Fury, logically, because it’s a bigger fight, well, that’s if he fights me – he always says he’ doesn’t wanna fight, but. It’s a bigger fight for me down the line, if he (Fury) wins. That’s the only reason I say [I want] Fury [to win[, for my own benefit, for my own selfish reasons. Yeah, do you still wanna see it, yeah? Good.”
Fans have lost track over how long they’ve been waiting to see this particular Battle of Britain, and even if Fury does beat Usyk, will he then go on to fight Joshua? Only time will tell, but so many moving parts would have to come together for that fight to come off.
Other possibilities for Joshua, if he either beats Ngannour or is beaten by the former UFC heavyweight champ, include fights with Whyte and Wilder. As AJ said in the same interview with IFL.
“He’s back on the scene, it looks like I’ll be fighting him soon,” Joshua said of Whyte now that he has been given to go-ahead to fight again. “Yeah, a hundred percent [the rematch could still happen]. Why not? It’s what we do. It’s what I live for….would you watch it? So, yeah – Dillian, it’ll soon be your face on that poster, boy. So get ready!”
And on Wilder, Joshua said:
“Never, bro,” Joshua said when asked if a fight with Wilder is now off the table. “This is what I do. Everyone, I’ll fight everyone. This is what I love to do. I love it so much, with a passion, so a hundred percent.”
For now, any business Joshua may have with Fury, or Usyk, or Whyte or Wilder, will have to wait. It’s man-mountain Ngannou on Friday, and a crushing loss would very possibly end Joshua’s career. The 34 year seems fully focused, though, and brimming with confidence. Of course, the exact same thing can be said of Ngannou!
I don’t know about you, but I cannot wait for Friday night.
