Anthony Joshua appears to believe he has a more intense and important rivalry with Dillian Whyte than with Tyson Fury.
All fans want to witness Joshua vs Fury, however in a recent interview with GQ, 'AJ' claimed that if belts were not involved, he would rather fight south Londoner Whyte than 'The Gypsy King'.
This comes as a surprise given Joshua's previous fight with Whyte, and it would make more sense for Joshua to want to take on a new challenge in the form of Fury.
Having said that, Joshua and Whyte have a heated rivalry that dates back to their amateur days.
Whyte knocked Joshua down on his path to victory in 2009 at the Boston Dome bar in Tufnell Park.
The rematch in the professional ranks had a lot more bite to it as a result, with both men throwing insults in the build-up.
The two men's hate for one another nearly spilled over in the ring, as punches were struck after the bell and both men's entourages entered the ring, almost culminating in a huge melee until the referee managed to calm things down.
Joshua went on to win by knockout in the seventh round, and the two have had an up and down relationship since then, occasionally displaying shows of mutual respect but then trash-talking each other in interviews.
It might also be suggested that Joshua fabricated a rivalry with Whyte in order to build up a battle with him in 2023, when 'AJ' is expected to return to the ring.
Eddie Hearn, his promoter, said 'The Bodysnatcher' is the frontrunner to be his opponent, but they are also considering former Fury opponent Otto Wallin.
Eddie Hearn, his promoter, said 'The Bodysnatcher' is the frontrunner to be his opponent, but they are also considering former Fury opponent Otto Wallin.
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