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Anthony Joshua has expressed his belief that Oleksandr Usyk will emerge victorious in the upcoming undisputed heavyweight title clash against Tyson Fury. Despite tipping Usyk for the win, Joshua has indicated his preference to face his compatriot in the future.
Scheduled to fight former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou on March 8 in Saudi Arabia, Joshua sees the potential for the winner of his bout to earn a shot at the victor of the Usyk-Fury clash on February 17. While Joshua has previously lost his WBO, IBF, and WBA belts to Usyk in 2021 and faced a rematch defeat the following year, he has not fought WBC champion Fury.
"I think Usyk edges it," said Joshua, sharing his prediction for the Usyk-Fury bout. "I'm not really bothered. I just want them both to be healthy and leave the ring."
Expressing his perspective on the impact of the fight's outcome on his life, Joshua emphasized his focus on the well-being of the fighters.
"In terms of how it goes, it doesn't affect my life, in a way," he said. "I'm not like one of those fans that's starts crying because someone won or lost. It is what it is. Tomorrow comes around. Good luck to both of them."
Reflecting on his upcoming bout with Ngannou, Joshua highlighted his contrasting style to Fury and emphasized his focus on his own performance rather than comparisons with Fury's fights.
"Me and Fury are completely different fighters, stylistically, mentally, physically - all that stuff," he stated. "I'm only going to do what I can do in that ring, and that should be better than what he did."
While not measuring himself against Fury, Joshua cautioned Ngannou against drawing too much confidence from his previous performance against Fury.
Joshua's remarks showcase his measured approach as he looks ahead to his own bout and the potential future challenges in the heavyweight division.
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