Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder: Anthony Joshua breaks silence over controversial WBC title fight draw

The winner of the contest - that now looks certain to rematched in 2019 - is set for a collision course with WBA, WBO and IBF champion

Ben Burrows,Declan Taylor
Tuesday 04 December 2018 08:40 GMT
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Tyson Fury reacts to draw against Deontay Wilder

Anthony Joshua has broken his silence on Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder and called out both after the pair's controversial draw in Los Angeles.

Fury climbed off the canvas twice to earn what he thought would be a famous win over the previously undefeated American but the judges recorded a much-criticised split decision draw leaving WBC strap still in Wilder's possession.

The winner of the contest - that now looks certain to rematched in 2019 - is set for a collision course with WBA, WBO and IBF champion Joshua later next year.

And speaking for the first time since Saturday night's fight Joshua is open to fighting either.

Replying to a tweet suggesting Wilder is open to facing him Joshua said: "What took this fool so long? Like we ain’t been interested?!!

"Anyway well done Fury! They wanted to get you because they assumed you was finished!! I’ll give you a fair one when your ready! Either one of you!"

Former world champion Fury is determined to return to the very top of his sport and has his eyes on regaining what he calls 'his' titles.

“My belts,” Fury said of Joshua’s trio of major titles. “They are just borrowed belts really. I don't really class them as world title belts because I've got them at home in my living room. They are all mine still.”

Fury famously clinched the belts by beating Wladimir Klitschko in November 2015 but he never defended them. He was quickly stripped of the IBF title due to a contractual wrangle regarding a rematch with the vanquished Ukrainian while he later vacated the other two as his downward spiral into depression gathered disturbing pace.

Joshua took full advantage of Fury's abdication and won all three of the belts in the Wilmslow man's absence. Fury still retains the so-called 'lineal title' as a result of never losing since beating Klitschko, a run which was extended by the controversial draw in his challenge for Wilder's WBC title.

Fury is determined to return to the very top of his sport 

“I'm happy that I'm the lineal heavyweight champion of the world,” Fury said. “I hold it with pride, respect and honour and it means more to me than any belt ever anyway. To have that great lineage going back to the days of John L Sullivan all the way to today, to have my name amongst them greats is a very big achievement.

Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, none of them have got it but they all want it and there is only one man who they have to come to now to get it. I'm not really interested in the alphabetical titles of today, because there are so many and I mean no disrespect to anybody. The belt I have is the only real championship that matters.

“I'm only the man who beat the man going back hundreds of years and I've still got it.”

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