Former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis responded to a statement made by Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn about the winner of the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou fight competing for the undisputed heavyweight title. Lewis believes that the winner of the fight between Joseph Parker and Jirayi Zhang deserves the title shot more than Joshua.
Andy Ruiz, who previously defeated Joshua, expressed his view that Joshua’s potential path to the undisputed championship would be less meaningful if he were to secure it by defeating less formidable opponents such as Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.
Responding to Hearn’s comments about Joshua’s upcoming fight, Ruiz questioned whether Joshua would truly feel accomplished by only defeating Wallin and Ngannou to secure a non-disputed fight. He also raised concerns about Joshua’s pursuit of real accomplishments and honors rather than taking shortcuts with Hearn’s promotion.
Ruiz stated his viewpoint on Twitter, emphasizing the importance of genuine achievements for Joshua. He also suggested that the winner of the Parker vs Zhang fight would have a stronger case for a title shot than Joshua.
Commenting further on the potential outcomes, Lewis expressed his opinion on the situation via Twitter, highlighting the significance of becoming an undisputed champion in the heavyweight division.
— Lennox Lewis, CBE, CM (@LennoxLewis) January 17, 2024
