“Anthony, with all due respect to him and his achievements, has been built up to a higher level than he actually is,” Simon said on talkSport Boxing.
Jordan said he had long considered Tyson Fury the superior fighter and revised criticism he had previously made about Joshua’s resume and standing in the sport.
“I’ve always talked about Tyson Fury being the better fighter and looked at Anthony Joshua and often said I felt he was a flat-track bully.”
Jordan pointed to several of Joshua’s biggest wins and losses as he questioned whether those performances supported the level of praise he has received throughout his career.
Coach Peter Fury offered a more measured assessment. While praising Joshua’s achievements as a two-time heavyweight champion, he suggested that the former champion relies heavily on his natural power and does not always maximize his technical ability.
“I think where Joshua fell short a bit is that he relied on it too much. He’s always looking for that one shot, which then, when you look for that one shot, slips your box,” says Peter.
Joshua returns on July 25 against Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia. A fight deal for a long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury has already been signed, provided both men come through their scheduled fights.
Jordan later described a Fury-Joshua matchup as “a race to the bank,” arguing that the commercial appeal now outweighs its sporting significance.
