Carl Froch has issued a savage assessment of Anthony Joshua’s boxing legacy and compared him to the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz.
The former super-middleweight world champion has faced backlash for saying AJ has ‘no real legacy’ in recent days, but stood by his remarks live on talkSPORT on Thursday.
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Froch told White and Jordan on talkSPORT: “Listen, I say quite a few things that are a bit tongue in cheek because it gets people listening, but I also talk the truth and I’m not afraid to talk the truth.
“I just think – if Anthony Joshua were to retire now, what would he be remembered for?
“He’d be remembered for beating an old Wladimir Klitschko who had been sat on the sofa for 18 months.
“He climbed off the canvas to do it in a great win, yes, but he’s not beat the best version of Klitschko.
“And then people are gonna remember him for losing to the fat kid from Mexico, Andy Ruiz.
“I’ve got to say he’s the ‘fat kid from Mexico’ because in the rematch he showed up like a fat disgrace, he was overweight, he was ill-prepared and he looked a mess.
“Okay, AJ got the win and won his titles back, job done, well done, but don’t forget he got absolutely beat up and knocked out in the first fight.
“Then what’s he remembered for? Two losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
“Alright, he’s one of the best fighters to ever live and breathe the sport, brilliantly talented, but he’s a cruiserweight coming up to heavyweight.
“So if you look at his legacy now, there’s nothing to shout and scream about.
“When I’m asked the question, ‘What are your thoughts on the Deontay Wilder fight?’
“The way Anthony Joshua fights at the minute, which is a bit nervous, a bit scared, he’s not offensive, he’s not aggressive, he’s not tenacious like he used to be.
“Since he lost to Usyk, and the Ruiz loss actually I think took a piece of his soul and he can’t seem to get any momentum, he’s not brave, he’s almost like the [Cowardly] Lion out of the Wizard of Oz.
“I just feel like he needs some help, he needs the right cornerman, the right training camp and the right sparring.
“I think the Dillian Whyte fight’s a good fight for him. If he does a job on him, people are gonna start to believe and think, ‘Okay, he’s ready.’
“But if he jumps in with Wilder straight away, he’s getting knocked out.”
