Heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua says he does not respect Tyson Fury, but that the former world heavyweight champion is “welcome to enter a ring” with him.
Fury accepted a backdated two-year ban for testing positive for a banned steroid in February 2015 and can fight again pending a return of his licence.
“What we are achieving as heavyweight champions is phenomenal,” Joshua told BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek. “But for someone in my own industry to discredit it, I can’t respect that person.”
Fury’s last fight saw him beat Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 to claim the WBA, IBF and WBO titles.
It came before a legal battle with UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) for a positive test he blamed on eating uncastrated wild boar.
In October 2016, he gave up his titles to focus on mental health problems and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) suspended his licence “pending further investigation into anti-doping and medical issues”.
In the meantime, Joshua has become WBA, IBF and IBO heavyweight champion, although Fury mocked him in May by saying he “could come back with no comeback fights and still box rings around that body builder”.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
