Ebanie Bridges, a professional boxer herself, expressed her disappointment with Anthony Joshua performance during his comeback win against Jermaine Franklin, which she watched ringside.
Despite Joshua securing his first victory in over two years by outpointing Franklin over 12 rounds at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday night and calling out Tyson Fury, Bridges believes that fight would be a mismatch at present.
Furthermore, she is convinced that Joshua would struggle against several other British heavyweights after observing his latest fight up close. Bridges is known for her outspoken nature.
She did not mince words while discussing her thoughts on Joshua’s performance and his chances against other heavyweight contenders.
Her comments have sparked a debate within the boxing community. Some agree with her assessment while others disagree. Nonetheless, Bridges remains firm in her belief and is eager to see how Joshua fares in his future fights.
She told talkSPORT: “I think if Franklin was a better fighter and a bit of a bully. He could have really put AJ off.”
“Fury would destroy him, with his strength, power, and spite. Even ‘Juggernaught’ Joe Joyce. Joe we all know he’s a bit stiff and robotic a little bit but he’s tough and can hit hard and will keep walking forward. Even [Derek] Chisora.”
“I just feel like he looks a little bit lost on cruise control and he won’t beat Fury or Deontay [Wilder] like that. Even Dillian Whyte.”
Anthony Joshua needs to rediscover his aggression to be a world champion
Bridges added: “Man, he’s definitely not the same AJ he was before [Andy] Ruiz.”
“It’s very frustrating to watch. The thing is, he’s still winning but no one wants to watch that style. He seems very gun-shy, he seems very scared to get hit, he just seems like he has no spite.”
As of now, there has been no response from Fury regarding Joshua’s latest win or his call-out. Instead, it seems that a rematch with Dillian Whyte is the most probable next step for AJ.
The two heavyweights engaged in a fierce battle back in 2015 for the British and Commonwealth titles. Which saw Joshua come out on top with a seventh-round knockout.
The rivalry between Joshua and Whyte dates back to their amateur days. And a rematch between them could reignite Joshua’s competitive edge.
Joshua has been criticized for not showing the same ferocity he once did, particularly since his stunning upset loss to Andy Ruiz in 2019. It remains to be seen if Joshua’s call-out to Fury will result in a fight, but a bout with Whyte seems to be the most likely option for now.
