With a proposed super-fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury looming in 2021, former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson has insisted that ‘AJ’ has mixed in better company.
On Saturday night, unified heavyweight champion Joshua faces IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev at the SSE Arena in Wembley, knowing that victory should pave the way for a long-awaited clash with WBC king Fury next year.
The bookmakers have installed Fury as a favourite for that projected heavyweight battle, but Nelson believes they are overlooking Joshua’s superior, overall pedigree as a professional. The perception and reality are different, according to Nelson.
“You’ve got to look at the amount of champions or ex-champions [Joshua] has boxed,” Nelson told Talksport.com. “Out of all them – including Tyson Fury – look at the calibre and the titles of the guys he has boxed.
“People just seem to forget that in an instance so I can imagine that frustration from AJ. He must be thinking, ‘Hold on, look at all these champions I have boxed. Why are people ignoring this and making Fury a favourite when I have done this?’
“He’s not even boxed half the calibre of fighters Joshua has fought. Unfortunately, unless you do your homework and look in depth, you have to make up your own mind.
“Don’t be swayed by what is said on the microphone or what you read in the newspaper; be swayed by what you see, be swayed by fact, be swayed by what actually works.”