FRANK WARREN fears Anthony Joshua’s iconic legacy could be hurt by his final opponent being Jake Paul instead of Tyson Fury.
The 35-year-old Watford heavyweight is a London 2012 Olympic legend and a two-time world champion.
AFPAnthony Joshua is in shock talks to fight Jake Paul[/caption]
GettyTyson Fury is still in retirement[/caption]
GettyJake Paul could be one of AJ’s final opponents[/caption]
But we have to go back to 2019 for his last top-level win – the rematch title win over a bloated Andy Ruiz Jr.
Back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk and the September shellacking from Daniel Dubois sandwich a string of mid-level wins over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and MMA fighter Francis Ngannou.
Now serious talks are underway and snowballing over a circus showdown with 28-year-old child-actor-turned-pantomime-boxer Paul.
And 73-year-old hall-of-fame promoter Warren agrees that an AJ record that ends with cage kicker Ngannou instead of Deontay Wilder – and the Disney dwarf instead of Gypsy giant – will not be a fitting finale
“I hear what you’re saying,” the Queensberry boss told SunSport ahead of his new starlet Moses Itauma’s clash with Dillian Whyte.
“He’s done magnificently. He was a runner up in the amateur world championships, I thought he got robbed.
“He won that gold medal in the Olympics, in London, which brought a lot of attention to the sport and it was fabulous. He was involved in some really good fights.
“AJ has paid his dues but there is a lot to be said about it because I think Tyson and AJ is the fight that everybody wants to see.
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Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte – all the info
One of the biggest fights of the year has arrived!
The highly-touted Moses Itauma faces the biggest test of his fledgling career as he steps into the ring with Dillian Whyte on Saturday night.
Itauma, 20, has great expectations on his shoulders – he has been compared to Mike Tyson and is expected by many to dominate boxing’s heavyweight division over the next decade.
But the Slovakian-born star – who sits at 12-0 (10KOs) is yet to face a test anywhere close to what Whyte can offer.
The Body Snatcher is now 37 and has not looked great in his last couple of fights, but the former world title challenger knows an upset win would catapult him right back to the top table.
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“It’s a tough call for him if it happens. A tough, tough call.”
Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn dropped the ball when he admitted that the swansong of his career hinges on 37-year-old Fury picking up the phone and accepting the overdue fight.
Instead the Morecambe Traveller has retired – again – filmed a new Netflix series and renewed his wedding vows for a second time.
Life looks like one long holiday for the father-of-seven while Team Joshua is working overtime behind the scenes to make sure the Dubois demolition is not the final scene in his highlight-reel career.
“It’s the fight everybody’s talked about for God knows how many years now,” Warren said about the biggest fight in British boxing.
“It’s gone on for around 10 years and it’s not happened yet and it may happen, it may not, I don’t know.
“I’m not giving away any secrets when I say the fight Tyson really wants again is Usyk.
“And whether you love him or you, whether you like him or you don’t like him, you love him or you hate the facts of the matter is he has added and he adds and brings so much entertainment and excitement to the division.”
The couple of times I have spoken to him, over the last couple of months, he HAS spoken about fighting.
Frank Warren on Tyson Fury
Fury’s two thrilling losses to the 38-year-old Ukraine genius were box-office but there is no need for a third installment.
Before he jetted off with the huge family to repeat his nuptials, he was regularly training and teasing another comeback.
But Warren does not know if he’s staying in shape to throw AJ a bone or keep his own brain fighting fit.
He explained: “He’s he’s got his Netflix series which they’re filming at the moment and he’s in a good place.
“I haven’t spoken to him that much lately because it’s family time, especially now they’re all on school holiday.
“It’s no secret that he goes to the gym to maintain that discipline, his physical wellbeing, but also for his mental wellbeing, it does help him, which is great.
“The couple of times I have spoken to him, over the last couple of months, he HAS spoken about fighting.
“But I am not going to encourage him to do that, that’s down to him.
“Next year will be quite interesting, I think once all this filming all stops and so forth, he’ll make a decision, if he hasn’t already.”
PAFrank Warren admits Fury is talking about fighting again[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
