ANTHONY JOSHUA is the reigning WBF, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight world champion… but it appears that he is not one of boxing legend Mike Tyson’s five favourite fighters.
The 54-year-old was heavyweight king during his 1990s pomp and returned to the ring after 15 years in November, drawing with Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout.
Mike Tyson didn’t include AJ as one of his five favourite fighters
But Brit hero AJ doesn’t appear to excite him in the way that others do, including compatriot Tyson Fury and former WBC champ Deontay Wilder.
And there was even a mention for pudgy Mexican-American Andy Ruiz Jr, the man that Joshua, 31, defeated in Riyadh in December 2019, ahead of AJ himself.
Tyson said on his show Hotboxin’: “I respect Tyson Fury, I respect Deontay Wilder, I respect all of those guys.
“Andy Ruiz also, this guy named [Vasyl] Lomachenko – he’s a f***ing animal, man. He’s a master, it’s like he’s dancing.
‘There’s also Gervonta Davis, there’s quite a few guys that are good fighters.”
The Baddest Man on the Planet also bemoaned what he sees as the ‘political’ nature of pro boxing in 2020, expressing his eagerness to see the biggest matchups in the sport happen.
He continued: “The situation is whether they will fight each other. Promoters are not allowing them to fight each other. I’d love to see them fight each other but the promoters don’t want to do it.
‘It [boxing] is very political now. That’s why I think in the next couple months or so you’re going to find that there are some new players in the game and it’s going to get really serious.”
I don’t know. My ego says, ‘nobody would beat you’ – but you look at him and… he just looks beautiful.
Mike Tyson on Anthony Joshua
Tyson did have praise for Joshua when asked about him earlier this year, however.
He said: “He’s really clean, he really looks clean, he’s a clean guy, he’s a clean fighter, he’s a good puncher.
“You just wish the best for him.
“I don’t know. My ego says, ‘nobody would beat you’ – but you look at him and… he just looks beautiful.
“He just looks like a fighter, you know? He looks like he was born to do what he has to do. He needs more experience of course, but that will come in life.”
Tyson’s comeback reeled in an incredible £60million for Triller with over 1.6million pay-per-view buys.
Iron Mike could fight again with a trilogy bout with Evander Holyfield ‘going to happen’ according to the 58-year-old and even John Fury being rumoured as an opponent.
Joshua returns to the ring this weekend against Kubrat Pulev – his first outing since his Saudi scrap with Ruiz 12 months ago.
Mike Tyson shows off unbelievable speed aged 53 as heavyweight legend gears up for sensational boxing return
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
