ANTHONY JOSHUA was vulnerable against Jermaine Franklin and needs Tyson Fury to bring back his fight, according to Johnny Nelson.
The former boxer was concerned with AJ’s showing in his points win over Franklin on Saturday.
Nelson claimed Joshua looked like he was still unsure of what to do and looked over to his corner for reassurance – something a former world champion should not be doing.
He wrote in his column for Sky Sports: “Boxing is the only place you can’t hide.
“It’s very lonely; it exposes so many vulnerabilities and I don’t think I’m on my own in saying this, there were too many I saw that I wasn’t comfortable with on Saturday night.
“It kills me to say this, because I’m a big fan of AJ, but I just saw some things that shouldn’t be there for a guy at 33 years old that has been a two-time world heavyweight champion.
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“He’s still looking over to his corner mid-fight – which you don’t do – and he’s still fighting in a way that comes across as though he’s unsure of what he could or should do.”
Nelson also questioned Joshua’s motivation but thinks he will show he still has the fight if he faces Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk.
He added: “After he lost to [Oleksandr] Usyk, I said, ‘the problem isn’t tonight, the problem is how he gets his head round his future – his motivation, his drive for fighting’.
“Once you’ve been at the top of the world for at least seven years in your career, you’re the golden boy, and then all of a sudden you’re in the queue like everyone else, then what’s your motivation?
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“Bar [Dillian] Whyte, Tyson Fury and Usyk are the two fighters that I think would set Anthony Joshua alight. If the fight has gone in him, we’ll see it in those fights. If he still has it in him, we’ll see it.”
Nelson believes Joshua should take on Whyte next and the all-British clash is likely to appeal to fans.
There are several potential opponents for AJ including Joe Joyce, Deontay Wilder or Otto Wallin, with the 33-year-old planning to box again in the summer.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
