Joshua: I’ve set new level of what should be done in the heavyweight division

Just a few days before his heavyweight title defense against Alexander Povetkin, titleholder Anthony Joshua says he hopes to meet the winner of a proposed Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury fight — a fight that has been rumored to be pushed back to 2019 following Floyd Mayweather’s announcement that he’ll rematch Manny Pacquiao.

“When I turned professional, Wilder and Fury were five years ahead of me so I looked to those guys and thought, ‘What are they up to in their career?’” said Joshua.

“Now I’m on my journey. I’ve surpassed what they’ve done. I’ve set a new level of what should be done in the heavyweight division.”

Joshua says with Wilder, Fury, and himself all participating in the same division it’s an inevitable eventuality that they someday day meet inside the ring to determine heavyweight supremacy. Joshua could’ve had the Wilder fight now, if he so chose, but it became clear after months of talking in the media that Joshua’s team was in no hurry to make it happen.

But Joshua says he’ll meet Wilder or Fury when the ‘time is right’, and for now he has to focus on Povetkin because one bad outing could derail his big plans to come.

Joshua and Povetkin will square off this Saturday at Wembley Stadium, where Joshua is expected to pull in yet another huge crowd. The fight will be streamed live on the new DAZN app for Stateside fans.