 Anthony Joshua has joined us that's right Saturday June 1st Anthony Joshua is defending his title at msg Against Andy Ruiz junior now. We start with this Anthony first. We welcome you to the show This is your first fight in the United States and you fought in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in England Does fight his intros his intros at Wembley Stadium looked like when Drago comes out in Rocky for so It doesn't mean something you need to fight an msg Anthony. Does it mean something? It's everything man, you know imagine when you first out and Let's say you're from Africa Asia Europe you tend to watch the American Stars of boxing so my guy was like Mike Tyson so then you get to know about Muhammad Ali and all these greats and Then you learn about the history of Madison Square Garden and the magic that had come out of America To be here is like I'm putting my name just alongside some of the greats that I've been there But what I go on and do with my career is now stumping my name alongside these greats So it's hopefully the start of something special. So our Anthony. I'm gonna be totally blunt with you. Yes, sir I'm a fan. Thank you very much the Klitsch go fight. I remember where I was when I watched it and The Klitsch go fight to me was the first great heavyweight fight that we've seen in a long time Okay, and I thought for a second it was the best Vlad Klitsch go we'd seen in years and then you come back and beat him in dramatic Fashion we have a new great heavyweight alongside that we have Deontay Wilder Who's building his resume and Tyson fury who drops a hundred pounds? Yeah gets himself back in shape Yeah, explain to me why you are not the one to blame For not being involved with fury and Wilder because we got a fight out of those two Mmm, and it was a damn good fight correct really surprised me correct And I I saw Wilder a few weeks ago or a couple months ago before his last fight and I'm seeing him again later this week Okay, where I'm sure he will put the onus on you Yeah, you tell me why it's not Anthony Joshua's fault that we haven't seen one of these fights happen for you yet Why can I say it's not any Joshua's fault? So I just put it like this really The most recent offer I made to the one of the best heavyweights in the division Louise Ortiz Who's fantastic? Who's a fantastic fighter? So he and we're gonna talk financials because that is what kind of gives people incentive to fight some of the best fighters in the division So he's he made a paycheck against Deontay Wilder of $500,000 to fight and he took that and he fought Wilder and he had a great fight and he lost That was at the Barclays Center. Yes So then I was looking for an opponent for June 1st at Madison Square Gardens And we offered Louis Ortiz six million dollars to fight and he said we gave him a low ball offer That is not enough. So why I mentioned Louis Ortiz is because now let's flip reverse back when we went to fight Deontay Wilder So we gave him the opportunity to fight In Wembley, yes 90,000 people and what did you offer him for that fight? We offered him 15 million dollars 15 Yeah, and what were you gonna take for that fight? The word was you wanted to fight at Wembley you were gonna make somewhere probably near a hundred million dollars I wish and Deontay or 50 million and Deontay I'm not gonna speak to mom if there was a hundred million, I'm gonna speak to my management because someone's taking some of that money You agree that you you do need you do need Deontay or Fiori to get the monster payday The the biggest payday possible 100% 100% but and that's the mega fight like put the payday aside The reason why I spoke about finances because I feel that is what should incentivize fighters Also with that aside what I was gonna get to aside from the finance and the biggest audience is that he's fighting for all of the belts I've got four of the major belts So he should be Biting at the opportunity to beat me to tell the world. I'm the king if he beats me He's the king. I've got four of the belts. What what more can you want from someone? So that's what I said finance aside the biggest audience aside You have the chance to own all of the belts So that's why it baffles me now when I go back from Ortiz the opportunity he turned down to wilder the opportunity He turned down when he was earned in two million dollars a fight. We up the level I've been trying honestly, but all I say now is this is that I'm sure these guys have got really smart people around and managing them So whatever decision they're making They're probably for good reason, but their decisions have not involved fighting me and it's not me anymore That's upset the fans are losing out and the longer they leave it The better I believe I'm getting so they're only gonna make it harder for them What were the were the better the chances that one of you guys gets knocked out and the interest in the fight goes around? So who was the situation when this happened with was talking about this but it's happened before in history where someone has a warm-up fight Thinking that they're just gonna go and box someone have a warm-up fight and no and then they get beat on the way there Hey, buzzer Douglas was a warm-up fight, you know It's and look at that that is in history today, but this is how this is the fans lose out on this They're not getting the fight they want and what ends up happening historically is they end up getting the fight way too Past when people really care about it and that's why the heavyweight division gets in trouble, right? Yeah, and even though the fight happens and everyone's like wow the fights happen after they're saying well Was it too late? Yeah? Well, Lennox Lewis my Tyson was too late. Yeah, um, you know Yeah, maybe about way too late Yeah, so that's one of the things that worries me and I mean I'll tell you the truth I'm interested because you're fighting in the US. Yes, sir, but I'll tell you what You're fight at the garden on June 1st. It's all risk because I'll tell you what if you lose to that guy Anthony I'm gonna be severely disappointed. I've watched the tape. He makes buzzer Douglas look like, you know, Vlad Klitschko If I lose you're never gonna see me First of all, I'm looking at him right now. That was one of the questions I want to ask him first of all, you look like you know, you're 15. You don't have a mark on your face Do you ever get hit? Me. Yeah. Oh, but they broke my nose my bones my knuckles are bruised. I'm I'm a I'm a old war horse You're you Michael you really should go back one day If you have a flight or whatever and watch his fight with Vlad Klitschko on On YouTube it was it was truly Klitschko's last stand and it was truly a heroic moment that made you What's it like coming out though in front of a crowd like that because that is unusual in the States We don't have a fighter who's beloved like you are Floyd Mayweather is not beloved Okay, I understood there's the last fighter who American fighter who was truly beloved in that way I mean, we you know Mickey Ward Nartere again And of course Tyson was Tyson. Yes, but we've never had a fighter where the whole country rallies What's it like when you come out? I mean don it's like do you think um Apollo Creed's coming out and James Brown America Like what is that like though for 90,000 people for just you the first time I box in front of the 90,000 people was against Klitschko, right? And um what it was like it was just a feeling where I said to myself There's losing and there's losing and getting embarrassed because Klitschko come punch He can hit hard and that's just the feeling is that I'll give everything I've got But the scary part about the sport is that I just don't want to embarrass myself because these guys I think we're in a new era now where the guys are six foot nine 18 19 20 stone big guys, so I just said you know what I'm gonna ride the wave of all these supporters I'm gonna give it my best and whatever happens happens. That's that's exactly my mindset when I went in there No stress now this Friday saturday june 1st. It's against Andy Ruiz jr. It's Expected to sell out, but if you go to msg.com right away to purchase tickets You will not get shut out. Tell us something Anthony about Andy Ruiz jr. What type of fighter is he? What are you worried about with him? And Ruiz is a selective puncher. He does not waste punches meaning when he punches he throws with intent So I feel like I have to make sure my hands are in good position I always say a tall fighter is fine But we used to boxing tall fighters as well short fighters and Ruiz only box his guys bigger than him So he's used to guys like me. He knows the pitfalls and the mistakes we make low hands throws a jab counter punches So he's going to be comfortable in the ring. I've got to adapt my style to someone shorter Sometimes I have to adapt them someone taller and so on and so forth Andy Ruiz is from Mexican heritage We know that they have a good love for the sport of boxing And he's been at world level. He fought Joseph Parker in a close to in a close decision, which he lost But some people say he won some people say he lost. I'm not too sure I don't really make an opinion on that. I leave that to the judges But what I'm trying to say is that the man is a world level fighter He's not someone that I can overlook and not someone I can take lightly No, and he's not very light. Um, he's 261 pounds. I believe that's how much you weigh right Pete selective puncher not a selective eater Um Yeah, no, he looks like me physically. He looks like he's the same gym regimen as me So that's why I say it's a huge risk for anthony because of anthony This is my point if somehow you get caught and knocked out by ruiz Then there's no then all we end up getting it maybe one day is wilder fury too But here's my thing. You're with the zone. Yes, sir. Who by the way, you're very important over there, right? You are the second in all due respect probably the second most important fighter they have Canelo is probably the most important fighter in the world biggest deal of all time Right and he's earned that and he was great on saturday night. Yeah. Yeah, they need to start calling it dazzling I want you to put this through Is it just easy? Yeah, it's just I don't think that as a serious sports network You can say you're called does sometimes gotta be guessing I think sometimes I forget that it's the zone and I from the logo. I can't remember So what doesn't doesn't indicate what it is you call it doesn't as well No, I could it's the zone but in your head you see dazzling but I see dazzling and then I get thrown off And I'm trying to wonder that I'm like, is it the zone? But but looking at those letters It sometimes doesn't pop into my head. So maybe it's a situation where the slogan is like maybe If you want to get in the zone Watch doesn't You know, he's smarter than your every day fighter You know, if you need anyone for marketing campaigns, that's pretty good And also too because I've got we've all had a chance to have plenty of boxers in here I mean legitimately humble and and it seems like that's something that you strive to be and I don't think he's as humble as you It's all relatively speaking. Hey, where's my coffee, man? Because you have to kind of be your own promoter in box I get the sense that that's something. It's important to you. Yeah, just be yourself. Number one be yourself Just be who you are. Look if there's nothing wrong with being glitz and glam and You're having loads of character for me. I'm just myself Calm collected and just likes have a good time. Um, I know what struggle is about I know what the good life I've seen that through boxing people have shown me the good life as well So it's a blessing and um, I'll take it with a pinch of salt I don't get too far ahead of myself or I don't get too depressed and get too below myself I'll tell you what I think the one thing that's fascinating right now is There is the opportunity for the first time since the tyson lewis era For the heavyweight division to be truly meaningful truly meaningful I believe you guys have made that as difficult as humanly possible by all having deals on different networks. I agree. Um Tyson's with espn. You're with the zone dazen And and diana is a showtime correct and I do think that presents a problem But the frankly all three of you are incredibly likable guys all have interesting different stories and all are really good Like I truly didn't believe tyson fury. Did you believe fury was as good Before the wilder fight to me that showed me he was at a different level than I realized he was Even even when he fought klishgaard, I didn't realize he was that good No, that was one of the ugliest fights I've ever seen But he managed to get in there and disrupt one of the greatest heavyweights of all time one of the longest Raining champions all right same with wilder. He had a break. He um, he came back He lost so much weight about fortnight. He's definitely not ready wilders been knocking guys out since day one He went in there played with wilder for some rounds as well I was just like this guy's talented, but this is what I want to challenge these guys me giving them offers Is not to say I'm guaranteed to beat these and it's going to be an easy night's work Is to say let me challenge myself against the best heavyweights And so I don't finish my career and think damn what would happen if I would have boxed these guys It's good to kind of show myself and what I'm about where I need to improve or if I'm really as good as I feel I am against guys like fury and wilder All right now I want to play the what if game with you we're talking with anthony josh with the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world um If somebody could get tyson not fury mike tyson to come out of retirement and fight you would you do it? No, no What if somebody gave him like a hundred million and he got in great He's in great shape anyway and said I want to take you on you wouldn't do it I respect him too much because you think you'd kick his ass right now is what you're saying I'm not even going to mention Mike mike is 52 Man, I respect that guy so much man. Have you had a chance to meet him? No really haven't met him yet. No never man He's a great guy. I think yeah, yeah, he's in a good place now He's a very good place He's in a good place that means making tons of money with weed in california right now It's crazy, right? Oh my god, but it's so pure it like it seems to me Mike Tyson is the best when he's at his natural Like when it was boxing it was pure about for the sport no business and he was at his best now He's in california doing this thing with cannabis Pure it's natural, you know He's and it's and if anyone knows him at all that was always although mike has had drug problems before Marijuana was a drug that actually always calmed him and really he was someone who needed it medicinally So the fact that he's now doing so well with it is great. Good to see you. Have you got what about other? Do you have any other what ifs michael? Sorry, I took what I jumped in No, no, that was my one because I've always wondered why tyson wouldn't want to cash in because michael thinks he'd get a little more data George foreman cashed in but you know the george was he too when he started when george started his comeback michael He was like 42 43 Yeah, the george was kind of fat then mike tyson's in great shape now And used to be an unbelievable fighter I just have to remind you, you know, mike's my favorite athlete of all time His last fight was a loss to kevin mcbride. Yeah, I mean a guy who's not even a capable fighter Okay, let me ask you this mcbride with it none better. Yeah, let me ask you this question could Kevin rooney tedi atlas make another mike tyson I think then he cussed a model Yeah, I think there's two missing ingredients there It cuss and jacob and mike and mike no and mike mike is just a So could have mike been with any trainer in the world and become as good as he was But once he was rooney though, anthony wasn't the same guy This is um, so the trainers we only are products of who are coaching us really and but mike was such a freak in it It was such a perfect storm It was a perfect storm of tyson being this kid from this background that had these problems And then these people who were able to take this pain and harness it with this athleticism I heard that customer was a psychologist. So he knew how to mentor um Build that fire within mike tyson, but they said Mike said that but when customer passed away. He didn't teach him how to turn that fire off So that was where he well, I think he was at a stage in his life where Unlike he was with floyd paterson and torres before that Mike was a different kind of dude and then he died and cuss dies jimmy jacob's dies Yeah, there's no one around anymore and also did those guys really care I'm not saying they didn't care But did they do the work to take care of him emotionally or were they just focused on We need to move him up the ranks as quickly as possible because I come from the stable of Boxing but luckily I went in the olympic route where it became a bit more professionalized Organized physios nutritionist, but when I was in my amateur club It was a bit more grim How do we get this boy from a to b right any means possible? And you are just like taking you around all the local gyms sparring the fighters fighting as sparring tyson fury um derrick chazora or the uk fighter, but Luckily I went in the olympic route and I think they kind of polished me up a bit and made my eyes peeled to all the trappings of The boxing one mike and mike didn't make the olympics No, so he went in the gutter way through the hardship and you look at this for instance dillon white He didn't go to the olympic route He's gone through the hardship way and you can kind of see in terms of character He does things the hard way to get when you saw even crawford didn't make the olympics crawford's route has been has been different as well All right real quick in in the uk just beyond be blunt with us How how big An eight like how a list are you as a star in the uk period right now? I'm about a d cat I'm about dealers. No. Have you met everyone there is to meet in the uk in terms of celebrity? I shook the queen's hand. Okay. See that's that's pretty big. Yeah, I shook the queen's hand, which was an honor Um, no harry or william yet. Yeah, I met those guys them. All right And the main thing is my mom still loves me. That's what I'm saying I'm doing my family proud and that that's all that matters at the end of the day So no, I'm not into this the celebrity stuff so much. You know harry had his baby today. Yes He did congratulations a baby boy. Yeah, um, yeah, man. If he I've got a son as well So if you ever needs a playmate someone to chill with my drop my boy around so Congratulations to the royals. Have you met ricky gervais? Uh, not yet. No, okay. All right. We're you Ask him everybody. He's ever met peter Have you ever met christiano Ronaldo? Yes, you met christiano. Yeah, that's my boy. Really? Yes. See our seven. That's my boy That's pretty good one too. Who's your who's your athletic brand sponsorship? Uh under armor You're doing away. Yeah, we're gonna be okay. What would you be if you weren't a boxer? What would that be if I weren't a boxer? An actor No Do you know what I would be doing construction construction. Yeah in a building game. Okay Like from a design standpoint or like lifting up plywood? Uh, not design but more like um project management like how the former team together plasterers electricians plumbers bricklayers Um scaffolding team and then create maybe the espm building. Hopefully Would you allow would you allow drake in your dressing room before a fight? No, you shouldn't If you want to I know I shouldn't if you're telling me that I know I shouldn't you know about a drake cut Of course. We're talking about a lot. It's crazy, right? It's crazy. It's real though. Yeah, keep away It's not worth you don't want to be the guy to test it. This is what i'm saying But he had all four football logos for the championship games. They both went to overtime The guys didn't know what to do actually so I took a picture with drake I thought you did when do you take it before miller got banned? Because miller had his drug test and then the whole fight went to pop Now hold on now, uh, you didn't you I know I saw you just compared the heavyweight division to game of thrones Okay, are you are you deep into game of thrones yourself or are you just using the reference? I'm just using the reference. I haven't bought one in Do you know what how class would it be if I came out with the game of thrones themes on my walking It would be would it be menace? It would be beyond menace, but you would need to bring out I mean listen, it wouldn't be as good if I'm you. Yeah, have you ever come out with storm z before? Of course You've come out with storm z boy. Okay. Well, maybe i'm a b-lister then not d. I'm a b-lister Anthony Joshua will be a list on june 1st saturday at madison square garden He faces andy ruiz jr for the heavyweight championship of the world tickets at msg.com You have to go there soon because this fight is going to sell out boxing in new york. It's in our soul Anthony, we thank you for coming by the studio. We really do and good luck. Thank you, sir. Take care. Cheers, man