By Barry Holbrook: Fans are skeptical about the megafight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in December, even though AJ said, “I’ll be ready in December.”
According to doubting fans, Joshua’s comment about accepting the Fury fight in December could be a clever way to get ‘The Gypsy King’ to shut up and stop repeatedly calling him out, like he did today.
Fury repeatedly calling Joshua out makes him look bad as it creates the perception in the eyes of the boxing fans that AJ is ducking him. If he is avoiding Fury, that can be interpreted as him feeling that he is not good enough for the task.
With Joshua seemingly accepting the fight with Fury in December, it’s a brilliant way to get him to shut up and stop yelling incessantly.
Even if Joshua is serious about the fight with Fury, it will be almost impossible to negotiate the fight before December.
In addition to the money aspect, AJ would have to deal with likely friction from his promoter Eddie Hearn, who would be spared by choosing to fight Fury without his guidance.
You have to believe that Hearn will go to great lengths to try to talk Joshua out of this crazy idea of fighting Fury this year because the timing is terrible.
“I think everyone is making plans for Joshua’s career without talking to Joshua,” Johnny Nelson told iFL TV. “Let this man tell his story; he lets this young man do the talking for him.
If calm I don’t participate in online discussions just for influence, so if you’re really interested, yell @258mgt. I will be ready in December. Khalas https://t.co/kKCWdrlmol
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) September 5, 2022
“I don’t have Eddie [Hearn] speaking for him Don’t let Freddie speak for him. Let the young man speak because, without a doubt, he is hurt. No doubt his head is still on his butt, thinking, ‘What do I do?’
“Remember, that motivation has now changed; now everything has changed. All that has changed for him. He needs that drive and that motivation.
“So before anyone starts planning what their next fight is. Hear from the man himself; let him speak
“Until you can sit down with him and have him tell you what his intentions are, there’s no point in speculating. That’s just because his life changed the other week, so he has to make decisions that he might not want to make. So give the guy time,” Nelson said of Joshua.
