Anthony Joshua has said neither he nor fellow heavyweight champion Tyson Fury can allow complacency to set in for their next fights.
Joshua is expected to take on Kubrat Pulev in defense of his WBA, IBF and WBO titles, likely in December. Meanwhile, Fury is set to take on Deontay Wilder for the third time in December.
Once those fights are resolved, Joshua is expected to schedule a fight with Fury, though he may have to give up his WBO title to make the event happen.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that there is a deal in place for any fight in 2021, but a defeat for one or both of Joshua and Fury could derail the scheduled fight entirely.
Pulev is undefeated in his last eight fights, and Joshua experienced a shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019, while Deontay Wilder is a former heavyweight champion in his own right, losing for the first time in his career to Fury back in February.
The Irish Examiner reported Joshua confirming: “We’ve got to put them on an equal playing field because if I say ‘I’ve got the bigger test’ or ‘he’s got the bigger test’, you never know what’s going to happen.
“They’re both banana skin fights. It’s like ‘get past this one then there’s the big one next’, so this one is just as important as the big one.
“When the time’s right we’ll fight. We’re keen, but I’ve got Kubrat Pulev first, which is a mandatory defense, which I have to do. Once I get past that I’m a free agent.
“I’m going to say we’ll fight next year, but everything else that comes with it, I’ve just got to put to the back of my mind and just focus on Kubrat Pulev. Once I get past him, hopefully, Fury will be the next one in line.”
Joshua also said that he was confused by some comments from Fury about their proposed fight.
“I listened to an interview the other week and (Fury) said that ‘we need to make the fight and stop messing around,’” he explained.
“But I thought we agreed to the fight? Then he said if Dillian [Whyte] wins he’s going to vacate the belt. I just think he’s got a lot of things going on in his life that he says things that don’t really add up.
“I respect him, I don’t really know him, but I respect him as a human. I could continue to talk, but the best talking will be done in the ring. It’s the best place to let our gloves do the talking.”