It has been suggested by Anthony Joshua that he has been involved in a “beef” with Ariel Helwani. The journalist covering mixed martial arts (MMA) responded by expressing his amazement and presenting an argument in his defense.
Joshua, a boxer who formerly held the title of unified heavyweight champion, is scheduled to compete against Francis Ngannou, a former heavyweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional boxing match between Joshua and Ngannou is scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in the month of March 2024.
On the most recent episode of The MMA Hour podcast, which was hosted by Helwani, ‘AJ’ made an appearance as a guest. While they were having their interview, the journalist who is Canadian-American mentioned that Joshua made a few statements that gave the impression that he might have a problem with him. The British boxer was questioned about whether or not it was in fact the situation.
Joshua’s response was to affirm with a grin that they are “not beefing” while simultaneously stating, in a contradictory manner, that they do have a beef until Helwani demonstrates otherwise.
Astonishment was expressed by Helwani, who then inquired as to if Joshua had made a statement that was offensive to him. After hearing the journalist’s response, the KO artist emphasized that all he wants is for the journalist to have faith in him.
Taking this into consideration, Ariel Helwani remarked that he is a fan of the aforementioned train of thought that ‘AJ’ has. After that, he referred back to the support that he had shown for Joshua following the boxer’s second loss to Oleksandr Usyk in the year 2022. As Helwani put it:
I want you to know that after the second fight between Usyk, my heart actually broke for you, Anthony. And I detested the manner in which the media and fans in the United Kingdom were kicking you while you were on the ground. In point of fact, I was in London, where I participated in a great deal of media. It felt like it had been two days since your dispute. And I responded by saying, “It blows my mind how they don’t support you, how they disrespect you, and how they beat you up while you’re on the ground.” Is there anything else that you could possibly do for this nation (England), for this scene, and for this sport in the nation?
This is not the first time I’ve had your back; I’ve had it for a very long time. So, please, you are aware that Francis is a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, we have — but I’ve got your back. I will also send you that video clip. I was told by a number of people that you were finished, and they gave me a lot of insults for that.
Joshua, for his part, made the offer to “squash the beef,” stressing the fact that each year is a new beginning. After Helwani’s agreement, the two individuals appeared to bury the hatchet in a playful manner.
Anthony Joshua looks to ward off Francis Ngannou en route possible undisputed title fight
Tyson Fury, who holds the title of WBC and the lineal heavyweight champion, is scheduled to compete against Oleksandr Usyk, who has the titles of WBA (Super), WBO, IBF, IBO, and The Ring heavyweight champion.
On February 17, 2024, their highly anticipated battle is scheduled to take place in Riyadh, which is located in Saudi Arabia. Anthony Joshua is a probable opponent for the winner, according to many people.
Boxing’s new undisputed heavyweight champion will be determined by the fight between Fury and Usyk, which will take place in February. While all is going on, Anthony Joshua’s next opponent, Francis Ngannou, is coming off of a loss to Fury that was decided by a split decision.
The general view is that if Joshua were to prevail against Ngannou in their fight in March, he would be able to earn a shot at the undisputed title and then fight the winner of the battle between Fury and Usyk.
