ANTHONY JOSHUA has told Tyson Fury to ‘shut the f*** up’ and fight.
But AJ’s critics are warning the former world heavyweight champion to retire after his sluggish points win over unfancied Jermaine Franklin.
GettyAnthony Joshua after beating Jermaine Franklin[/caption]
ReutersTyson Fury was called out by Anthony Joshua[/caption]
‘Gypsy King’ Fury has used social media to taunt AJ as talks over an all-Brit superfight have broken down twice before.
And AJ, 33, said: “Save all that s***. If we’ll f***ing fight, let’s go.
“Shut the f*** up and that’s just how I feel because I got to save my energy for the fight.
“I’ll be real, I’ll be real. I respect the man. He’s achieved a lot.
“I just feel I don’t need to trash talk, verbally trash talk someone to make myself feel better.”
But British icons Carl Froch and Dillian Whyte are baffled as to why multi-millionaire AJ is still slogging away in mediocre match-ups.
Whyte, who wants a rematch with Joshua in the summer, having lost their 2015 battle, said: “Joshua has lost all his aggression.
“If he doesn’t want to do it any more, I think he should stop.”
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Former super-middleweight world champ Froch reckons he saw a shadow of the old AJ going through the motions against American Franklin on Saturday.
Froch said: “He’s been there, done the business. And now I don’t know. What motivates him?”
Both men have agendas, with AJ axing Froch’s former trainer Rob McCracken in 2021, while Whyte has been a long-term rival.
Joshua dismissed their verbal digs, saying: “They are pure haters. I don’t expect them to like me, I don’t like them either.”
Jermaine Franklin was beaten on points by Anthony JoshuaRichard Pelham / The Sun