Mike Tyson believes Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world, ahead of the likes of Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury, Metro reports.
Joshua holds the IBF, IBO, WBA (Super) and WBO champion, while his direct rival Wilder is the WBC king. Wilder and Joshua were in talks to fight this summer, but it now seems that Wilder is set to take on Fury later this year.
Fans are desperate to see the top heavyweights go to war, but Tyson thinks Joshua is the best.
“Right now, Anthony Joshua seems to be the best out of the whole lot of them,” Tyson told Seconds Out.
“He’s the stronger guy, bigger guy, more put together, more put together as far as boxing skills are concerned as well.
“I think he’s the best fighter out of the lot.”
Wilder has told Joshua he will not accept the invitation to fight him at Wembley in April after being enraged by a flat fee of $15 million to take the fight. Fury too has slammed Joshua for refusing to face Wilder, and the heavyweight has dismissed reports he is considering pulling out of his showdown with the WBC champion.
Wilder was ringside for Fury’ last fight in Belfast to announce their bout, but no date or venue has been confirmed.
“Just a quick update, I’ve been reading and I’ve heard some rumours that this fight is off with me and Wilder,” Fury said.
“Not on my watch it ain’t. I’m not pulling out of nothing, it’s on like Donkey Kong. Tyson Fury is like a king coming to America.”
Meanwhile, former British world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis believes Joshua should listen to what the public wants, with regards to his proposed fight with Wilder.
A bout between the two has been on the cards for months now, but with AJ’s next fight occurring next month against Russia’s Alexander Povetkin, boxing fans across the globe will be forced to continue longing for Joshua and Wilder to step into a ring together.
Lewis believes Joshua should consider the view of the masses when it comes to setting up a clash with Wilder.
“You’ve got to fight the best person out there that’s going to make you look good, depending on how you’re plotting out your career,” Lewis stated in an interview with FightHype.
