Boxing needs Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua
The heavyweight division has seen an upswing in media coverage and popularity. After years of Floyd Mayweather being the leading man of boxing, we now have three heavyweights who have brought the spotlight back on the top division. Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are the faces of the division.
While Deontay Wilder is still one of the best, doubt was put into the minds of the boxing world. Wilder was decisively defeated in a seventh round TKO by Fury. Wilder has triggered his rematch clause. After two fights, it’s obvious who the better boxer is. Minus Wilder’s knockdowns of Fury in the first fight, The Gypsy King has won mostly every round. In the first fight, Fury landed 115 punches compared to Wilder's 85. Fury had a 35% connect rate to Wilder's 20%.
Joshua is currently slated to fight IBF challenger Kubrat Pulev, of Bulgaria. If Joshua and Fury win their respective buts, there is only so much time before The Gypsy King's contract ends. Fury has three fights left on his contract and has been rumored to be thinking of retirement. The time has come for Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua. After years of delay, there are no more reasons why the fight shouldn’t happen.
As the heavyweight division continues to be established, Joshua vs Fury will be Britain's most imporant fight. With both fighters holding all of the heavyweight belts, a unification bout between the two will be epic. Fury staked his claim as a top heavyweight by beating Wladimir Klitschko. Joshua regained the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles after avenging his loss against Andy Ruiz. Fury vs Joshua would most likely break all records for pay-per-view buy rates and at the gate reveune.
Fury's story of redemption has been one of the best in the history of boxing. Fury battled depression, weight gain, and suicidal thoughts as his demons began to take over his life. His original fight with Wilder brought him back from the depths of despair. Joshua represented England at the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships as an amateur in the heavyweight division. He finished second for a silver medal. The two different backgrounds will make for an intriguing build and hype leading up to the fight.
"Everybody is very clear on this. Everybody wants this fight- Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, MTK, Top Rank, Frank Warren, Matchroom," said Joshua’s manager Eddie Hearn.
"There are some hurdles to overcome in broadcasting, but nothing too much. I promise you this fight will happen."
Joshua has the British fans and Fury has the British and U.S. fans. The fight is so big that betting odds are already out. Fury is a -165 favorite with Joshua at +135. The boxing world can’t afford to prolong this fight like Manny vs Mayweather.
With both boxers in their prime, the hype would be worldwide. UFC seems to have taken over as a rival in the world of combat sports. Boxing must continue to provide fights with the best in their prime. For the sake of the boxing sports progress, give us Joshua vs Fury.