Lewis Takes Aim at Hearn’s “Undisputed” Squawking: Parker vs. Zhang Deserves Title Shot More Than Joshua

Image: Lewis Takes Aim at Hearn's "Undisputed" Squawking: Parker vs. Zhang Deserves Title Shot More Than Joshua
London, London: Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou Press Conference to announce upcoming fight in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on 8th March 2023. 15 January 2024 Picture By Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou face off at end of the Press Conference
By RustNate - 01/17/2024 - Comments

Lennox Lewis fired back at Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn over his comment about the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou winner to fight for the undisputed heavyweight championship next, saying that a case to compete for that honor would be the Joseph Parker vs. Zhilei Zhang, victor of their March 8th co-feature bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Lewis makes it clear that Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) would have done very little to earn a shot at the undisputed championship if the two wins that brought him to that position were against these guys:

– Otto Wallin
– Francis Ngannou

Cheapening the Undisputed

That cheapens the whole point of getting to the point of fighting for the undisputed if all Joshua had to do is beat out-of-shape, weak-punching Wallin and the 0-1 boxing novice, Ngannou.

Lewis said this on Twitter today in response to Hearn bragging about what’s at stake for Joshua’s fight against the former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on March 8th in Riyadh.

How does Joshua feel good about himself if all he has to do to get to the undisputed fight is to beat Wallin and Ngannou? I mean, where are Joshua’s standards? How does he live with himself?

He’s already rich with enough money to last ten lifetimes, so he should be thinking about true accomplishments and honor instead of taking a as shortcut to the top, thanks to the wheeling & dealing by his promoter Hearn.

Parker vs. Zhang: A More Compelling Case?

“Ok, Eddie Hearn, I know this is the promoter in you speaking, so I’ll break it down like the boxing fan I am. If AJ beats Ngannou, which he should, does that elevate him to a shot at undisputed? Beating Wallin & Ngannou? There’s a much better case for the winner of Parker – Zhang.”

The match between Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) and WBO interim champion Zhilie Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) should be the fight that determines who moves into the undisputed.

Both fighters are coming off massive wins, with Parker beating former WBC champion Deontay Wilder and Zhang destroying the Foreman-esque Joe Joyce twice last year.