Dominic Breazeale: Anthony Joshua a tougher fight than Tyson Fury
Wednesday 27 April 2016 19:20, UK
Dominic Breazeale believes Anthony Joshua is a far more dangerous opponent than fellow heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
Joshua claimed the IBF belt with a stoppage win over Charles Martin earlier this month and will make his first defence against Breazeale at The O2 on June 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
The American challenger admits the new champion commands his respect, but is not so complimentary about Fury, the WBA and WBO title holder who has angered Breazeale with his scathing outbursts on Twitter.
"I'm really sick of him getting on social media and saying all this nonsense and what not," Breazeale told Sky Sports.
"In the fight game you can talk all you want outside the ring. As soon as you get in the ring, you've got to fight. There is no more talking going on."
Breazeale insists a fight with Fury would be 'a lot easier task' than facing Joshua, who has stopped all 16 of his previous opponents.
"I know that fight is coming down the pipeline pretty soon," said Breazeale. "But one fight at a time, I want to take care of Anthony Joshua first and go from there.
"At this point he kind of reminds me of Shannon Briggs. Shannon Briggs just runs his mouth and he tries to buy himself a fight.
"I've got no respect for Tyson Fury or Shannon Briggs. I only can respect a guy that gets in the ring and handles his business.
"I think it's going to be a lot easier task beating a guy like Tyson Fury than it's going to be, going in the ring with a guy like Anthony Joshua. Anthony Joshua is a humble guy, he understands what he does, very confident dude."
Fury ended Wladimir Klitschko's 11-year reign as world champion with a unanimous decision win last November and the pair will meet again in a rematch in Manchester on July 9.
Breazeale felt Fury took advantage of a rare poor performance from Klitschko and expects the British fighter to suffer a crushing defeat in the second fight.
"It was a tough fight against Klitschko, but it wasn't Klitschko's best," said Breazeale.
"He had a bad night, he had an off night, he's a human being, and at the same time, they've got a rematch coming up, but I think Klitschko is going to prove to the world who the real heavyweight champion is.
"Do I think Klitschko stops Fury? Oh yes definitely, he knocks him out."
