June 7, 2023 Source: Boxing Scene
Photo Source: Boxing Scene
Former four division world champion, Roy Jones Jr, believes Anthony Joshua made the right decision by delaying a potential fight with WBC world champion Tyson Fury.
Fury's handlers had recently issued an offer to Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, for a September showdown at Wembley Stadium in London.
Jones did not like Joshua's most recent performance, a tougher than expected decision win over Jermaine Franklin in April. It was Joshua's first win after back to back defeats at the hands of unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. It was also Joshua's first fight with new head trainer Derrick James. In the end, Joshua took as pass when presented with Fury's offer.
Instead, the former two-time champion plans to return on a date in August, in a potential rematch with Dillian Whyte. Should Joshua prevail in that fight, his handlers will aim to finalize a deal with former WBC champion Deontay Wilder for a long-awaited showdown, which is targeted to take place on a date in December in Saudi Arabia.
Based on his performance against Franklin, Jones would like to see Joshua get more experience with his current trainer before a fight with Fury is seriously explored.
“Why would anyone come off one of the worst performances they’ve had in a long time, and go and fight Tyson Fury? How much sense does that make? Which one of us believes that, based off his last performance, that he would beat Tyson Fury? Who really thinks that?," Jones explained to Boxing News. "You’ve got to get comfortable with your team first before you take a fight of that magnitude. He clearly doesn’t have it together with his new trainer yet, so to fight the top guy of the division before having it together with your trainer, how stupid would that be?
"So no, you don’t put him in with Tyson Fury right now. Let him get comfortable with his new trainer first, then fight Tyson Fury.”
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