Anthony Joshua has called out heavyweight rival Tyson Fury, saying if he truly wants to be boxing’s king then he must first face him.
The Brit boxers currently hold all of the division's belts, with Joshua reclaiming the IBF, WBA and WBO crowns from Andy Ruiz Jr in their rematch in Saudi Arabia in December. Fury, meanwhile, memorably defeated the previously unbeaten Deontay Wilder in their second bout in February to capture the WBC title.
Fury, still undefeated in his 31 professional fights, claims to be the best heavyweight in the world - something many with agree with - leaving boxing fans craving for a clash with Joshua to decide the undisputed champion. Until now, no one heavyweight has held all the belts at the same time.
And, speaking to Sky Sports, Joshua seemed up for the challenge.
"Yes, come fight me,” he said. “If you really want to say you're No 1, come fight me. Let's get it on. I've got the rest of the belts so it only makes sense.
“I’m unified heavyweight champion of the world; he's the WBC champion. What it will prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.
"Logically to prove yourself as No 1, I have to fight Tyson Fury. He has to fight Anthony Joshua."
However, any thoughts of a potential marquee bout have been put on hold not only because of the coronavirus crisis, but considering both boxers have their next opponents already lined up.
Joshua, whose record stands at 23-1 (21 KOs), has a mandatory defence of his titles to come against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev, which was supposed to take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in June. Yet the fight was postponed amid the pandemic.
Also, Fury is contractually bound to a trilogy fight with Wilder, which had been pencilled in for October at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Joshua, though, believes he could meet Fury first, especially since his mandatory challenger shares his US-promoter, Top Rank, with the WBC champion.
"It would be amazing to tell Pulev 'I think it's best if you step aside for now' and to tell Wilder 'we have bigger fish to fry'," Joshua said.
"'Enjoy your Alabama chicken while we get cracking in the UK!' That fight needs to happen because there will never be another time like this again."
However, Wilder promises to be a major obstacle in that fight getting made. Speaking to the Premier Boxing Champions' podcast, the American rejected suggestions he would give up the chance to avenge his loss to Fury.
"No one should be surprised. I am who I am, Deontay 'The Bronze Bomber' Wilder,” he said. "Why wouldn't I want it? He knows that wasn't me. I know that wasn't me. That wasn't the real Deontay Wilder, something was wrong.
"There is more fuel on the fire. This is the final straw."
