Tony Bellew has spoken out about Anthony Joshua’s impact on boxing in the UK, comparing it to that of Muhammad Ali.
Questions are currently being asked, in some quarters, about whether or not ‘AJ’ should retire, as he looks unsure of himself and a far cry from the destructive heavyweight kingpin he once was.
Speaking with Up Front with Simon Jordan, Bellew explained that Joshua’s growth of the sport on British shores simply could not be underestimated.
“The only fighter who sold out big stadiums regularly, in the history of boxing, was Anthony Joshua. Because he started taking to show on the road, he took it to Saudi Arabia and opened up a market that hadn’t been touched before.”
“I’m not saying he should be mentioned in the same breath as Muhammad Ali, but he changed the game for fighters in this country the way Ali did.”
“I was here before he was here, and I was here during his peak and his rise, and the game changed with him.”
With Joshua potentially a matter of months away from the biggest purse of his life, there could still be one or two groundbreaking nights left before he does decide to hang up the gloves.
Skills Challenge Group are currently working to stage Joshua vs Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia this December, on a mammoth card that would also feature Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight title.
Reports estimate that the total pot for the event could be north of £300 million and, with a very healthy wedge of that no doubt headed to Joshua’s bank account, with speculation rife as to just what the exact figures could be.