Anthony Joshua still keen on Tyson Fury heavyweight title battle: ‘I would take that opportunity’

Anthony Joshua has revealed that he is still eyeing a heavyweight title showdown with Tyson Fury.

The British fighters looked to be on a collision course for a number of years with much talk around a potential superfight between the two.

However, following Joshua’s loss and failure to recapture his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk, the much-anticipated fight looks more and more unlikely.

Despite this, Joshua, who faces American James Franklyn at the O2 Arena on Saturday, says he would love the chance to get back in the title picture.

“That would be an honour, honestly,”

when asked about a possible fight with Fury.

“The WBC heavyweight champion of the world. To compete for the title again in the summer, I would love that opportunity.

“You asking me? Yes, I would take that opportunity, for sure.”

Following back-to-back defeats against Ukrainian Usyk, Joshua has made some notable changes, hiring a new coach in the highly regarded Derrick James, as well as basing his training camp in Texas ahead of the Franklyn fight.

The 33-year-old is hoping for a good, winning performance in the London fight.

“I can’t give away the game plan but the focus is getting the win,” he said. “Following the process. That’s the basics of it.

On whether he could retire if he suffers another setback in the ring, Joshua rolled back earlier comments that he would hang up his gloves should be lose.

“Sometimes I feel I’m just not going to debate with people,” he said. “So I’ll just be like, ‘yeah, if I lose, I’ll retire’. I just kind of give them what they want to hear.

“I’m not going to debate with people time and time again about the decisions I can make with my career.

“Now it seems like that’s the common theme, but as I said, winning is part of the program.”