A few days ago, IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua took to social media to wind up potential opponents.
Joshua posted a string of tweets to WBO champion Joseph Parker, WBC champion Deontay Wilder and former beltholder Tyson Fury as he looks to secure his next big-money bout.
The 28-year-old's opening salvo - aimed at Parker - was a GIF of Kermit the Frog drinking tea. The tweet read: "Joseph Parker, sips tea, continues to read tweets & refreshes email.. Still No Offer."
Wilder was next on Joshua's hitlist, with the Watford-born fighter posting a YouTube video of a lengthy interview during which he urged the American to set up a title fight between the two.
An accompanying tweet said: "A little word on the Wilder fight. Ready & waiting for the offer."
A third quick-fire tweet was aimed in the direction of an out-of-shape Fury, with Joshua tweeting: "Tyson Fury, get fit you fat f***."
Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs), who defeated Carlos Takam by TKO to retain his IBF, IBO and WBA world heavyweight titles last month in Cardiff, insists potential opponents only talk of fighting him without ** an official approach.
He explained that it was necessary to defend himself when all three fighters have been bashing him for several weeks.
"I try to be professional but remember this is a fighting sport and you have to meet fire with fire now and again. Sometimes if a dog barks at you so many times, the other dog needs to bite back and make sure the other dog puts his tail between his legs. And that's what you have to do with Tyson Fury sometimes. And that's all it was, I just had to bite back," Joshua told Sport 360.
"I'm not one of these dogs that stay in the garden barking for hours, I make my noise -- and that's it -- until we fight I don't need to be hollering and yelling for days and for months. That's not what I like to do. I address the situation and I put it into the back of my mind. I address what's relevant."
"That's why I'm like, 2018, even though there's a lot of talk -- in reality, isn't going to be like Joseph Parker, Wilder and Tyson Fury all in one year. Anthony Joshua has to face all of them but what's Wilder's plans after he fights Anthony Joshua? Everyone's following my career but everyone else is managing their own career how is best for them."
2023-10-19 23:37:35
