Lewis Questions Joshua's Readiness Before Fury Clash

Lennox Lewis doubts Anthony Joshua belongs in the ring right now after the former champion was knocked down twice in the opening round against Kristian Prenga before rallying to stop him in Jeddah on July 25.

The Hall of Fame legend told The Ring from Jamaica that Joshua's frantic recovery against a lightly-regarded opponent raised serious questions about his form heading into a planned November collision with Tyson Fury. Lewis questioned whether boxing is the right place for Joshua following a December 29 car crash that killed two close friends and preceded his move to a new training camp.

Lewis Picks Fury Despite Both Past Their Prime

"Does he really belong in the ring right now?" Lewis asked, per The Ring. "A virtual novice put him on the ground twice in the first round. Is that it, have we seen the last of him? It's not like he's his old self."

The three-time heavyweight champion watched Fury bank seven rounds against Mariusz Wach in Thailand the day before Joshua's scare. Lewis said Fury is using tune-ups to stay sharp for Joshua, though he acknowledged both men are shadows of their former selves. The long-mooted matchup failed to materialise during their primes and is now targeted for later this year despite questions about its competitive merit.

Lewis said he sides with Fury based on what both have shown recently. He noted Joshua boxed YouTuber Jake Paul and then survived two knockdowns against Prenga, while Fury has looked sharper in his two comeback fights. "He showed me more in his two fights than Joshua has recently," Lewis said.

The Joshua-Fury bout is expected to be announced for November, with both camps moving toward finalising terms.

Source: ringmagazine.com