Tyson Fury is amused by Anthony Joshua’s trash talk ahead of Friday’s fight with Jake Paul.
At a media roundtable Tuesday, Joshua assured reporters he has no plans to go easy on the less-seasoned Paul,
going as far as to say, “If I can kill you, I will kill you.” The two-time heavyweight champion has numerous highlight-reel knockouts on his résumé, including a recent second-round drubbing of former UFC star Francis Ngannou.
However, Fury – who’s half-brother Tommy Fury handed Paul his lone loss in 2023 – isn’t convinced his British rival can back up his tough talk.
“I think, you know what, [Joshua is] a little bit long in the tooth to be talking shit like that,” Fury said on Instagram Stories. “He’s 37 years old at the end of his career, fighting a YouTuber, a Disney Channel guy, who Tommy beat, and now he’s talking about killing him and all that to try and sell. Please. Barking up the wrong tree, idiot. Here’s a fun fact, if I ever come across you, bum, I’m knocking you dead spark out. I ain’t a YouTuber or a man half your size. I am him. The man.”
Paul has received a mixed reception since dedicating himself to pro boxing in 2020. A successful social media influencer from a young age, the 28-year-old has committed plenty of resources to accelerating his training and development, while handpicking opponents with considerable name value ranging from former boxing champions Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., to UFC stars Anderson Silva, Nate Diaz, and Tyron Woodley, to three-time NBA Dunk Contest winner Nate Robinson. Paul’s fights have drawn considerable mainstream interest, but also derision from the hardcore fight audience.
Joshua is coming off a disappointing title fight knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. It was just the fourth loss of Joshua’s career, but Fury believes that setback could signal the beginning of the end for him.
“You’re a classless loser, coming off a 15-month knockout defeat to a local lad,” Fury continued. “Imagine if someone from Morecambe knocked me out. You big bum useless dosser. Get up, and I can’t wait if Jake Paul knocks you spark out, you big bum. Get up.”
Despite Fury recently announcing a retirement coming off of back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, rumors continue to swirl that he could return for a highly anticipated matchup with Joshua. First, Joshua has to deal with Paul this Friday in Miami, so for now Fury seems content to take verbal shots at his would-be rival.
Watch Fury’s comments below.
