We can’t say we blame those UFC fighters who have been banging the drum for a cross-sport clash with Anthony Joshua.
The brightest star that boxing’s heavyweight division has seen in years is understandably one of the biggest draws in the sport right now and given the financial rewards enjoyed by both Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor in their super-fight last month, fighters would be foolish not to shoot for something similar.
There is far more money to be made in boxing than there is in mixed martial arts, that much is clear.
And that’s what prompted the call-outs of Joshua from the likes of current UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic and former champ Junior dos Santos.
Want a more exciting fight? The two best heavyweights in the world. @anthonyfjoshua let's do this. Don't be scared homie!
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) August 27, 2017
Dos Santos actually spent some time training with ‘AJ’ last year but that didn’t scare him off pursuing a lucrative clash with the English powerhouse.
“I would love to have a boxing match,” the Brazilian told Combate in May. “Since I’m going to be the UFC heavyweight champion and there can be only one toughest man on the planet, I would like to fight Anthony Joshua. Champion against champion. It would be sensational.”
Alistair Overeem was the latest mixed martial artist to announce an interest in competing against Joshua, if the London 2012 gold medalist wanted to try his hand in the Octagon.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYnzGRijsPJ/?hl=en&taken-by=alistairovereem
Joshua has seen all those ambitious call-outs and the WBA (Super), IBF and IBO heavyweight champion has warned the vocal UFC stars to be careful what they wish for.
“I’m a fighter, you don’t just call people out recklessly,” Joshua told the Daily Star.
“I’m not a UFC fighter – I can’t put you in a submission – but I know how to throw my legs, I know how to use my elbows and I know how to punch people.
“That’s my only disadvantage, the submissions.
“But I’ll throw it down, for sure.”
After Mayweather vs. McGregor was announced, Joshua joked that he wanted a slot on the August 26 fight card but the fact that the 27-year-old is a bonafide pay-per-view star in his own right meant that he was never going to be reduced to a role in the co-main event of a show.
“It was a bit of light-hearted banter,” Joshua said of that offer.
“But I’ll still smash up those UFC fighters if I wanted. You can’t talk to me like that.”
