By Jack Tiernan: Anthony Joshua has revealed that he’s willing to take an interim fight while he waits for Oleksandr Usyk to finish defending Ukraine. Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs) says he’s agreeable to take on Joe Joyce, Joseph Parker, or “whoever.”
Joshua seemed animated when Joyce’s name was mentioned as an option for his interim fight. However, the undefeated Joyce is in line for a title shot against WBO champion Usyk, so he might not be willing to give up the opportunity unless AJs promoter Eddie Hearn offers him a lot of dough.
Hearn still believes that there’s a possibility, slim as it is, that Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) will return from the war in Ukraine to defend his IBF, WBA & WBO heavyweight titles against Joshua in a rematch.
If the fighting in Kyiv, Ukraine is street to street, hopefully, Usyk makes it out without getting injured or KIA. War is war.
It’s risky being on the frontlines, and it makes no sense in Joshua and his promoter Hearn to be assuming Usyk will be back by June to defend his three titles.
Joshua can’t afford to sit and wait any longer for the outside possibility of Usyk returning from the Russian front. It’s not realistic, and Joshua needs to stay active if he wants to sharpen his skills.
If Joshua REALLY wants to impress boxing fans with his interim fight, he’ll give Hearn his marching orders to go sign Deontay Wilder for the job. People would be all over a Joshua vs. Wilder fight right now, and it would sell regardless of no titles being on the line.
AJ: “I got to get better”
“I love fighting good fighters, they challenge me. He was a good challenge,” said Joshua to Behind The Gloves on his fight with Usyk. “I got to get better in other departments. I got to do other things better to win it.
“He’s a good fighter,” Joshua said of Usyk. “I’m going to give him his respect and give Andy [Ruiz] his respect. I respect myself enough to push myself and go back to put in work and go back and fight harder.
“Whatever, I’ll smoke him as well,” said Joshua when told that Joseph Parker has volunteered to be his interim opponent. “Listen, I’ll fight Joseph Parker.
“I’ll fight whoever and whenever. It’s only a fight. I’ll fight 100%,” said Joshua on his willingness to take an interim fight while waiting on his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.
A rematch between Joshua and Parker probably won’t be well received by boxing fans, given how one-sided their 2018 fight was. Fans will obviously be happy to see Joshua fight anybody at this point, but he can do better than Parker.
Joshua wants Joe Joyce for interim
“For me personally, I’ve got to keep active,” said Joshua to iFL TV on the importance of taking an interim fight. “Keeping active is the best thing. An inactive fighter isn’t a good fighter. I would love to keep active.
“Yeah, that’s a good fight 100%,” said Joshua when asked if he’d like to face Joe Joyce.
Big 6’6″ Joyce would be an excellent option for Joshua if he can’t get Deontay Wilder to take the fight.
