One of Anthony Joshua’s team members has dismissed comments made by Simon Jordan, comparing the TalkSport host to a “flat earther” after Saturday’s win over Kristian Prenga.
Joshua was dropped twice in the first round in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before knocking out the Albanian unknown in the second round, preserving his long-awaited super-fight with Tyson Fury.
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Yet the manner of Prenga’s performance – from a dominant first round to an inactive second one – led Jordan to say something was “not quite right”.
Anthony Joshua (right) during his chaotic win over Kristian Prenga (Getty)
“Not having that … #anthonyjoshua fight,” Jordan tweeted. “Dropped twice and sets the tempo, how’s that ? …
“Prenga totally different in 2nd. Something not quite right , all designed to rinse maximum amount of money …”
Now, Sergey Lapin from Joshua’s team has responded to the radio host, telling Action Network: “What do I think of Simon Jordan’s comments? I suppose they also told Prenga to walk straight into a punch that weighed one-and-a-half tonnes.
“Everyone is entitled to their own theories. I have a friend who still believes the Earth is flat and that space doesn’t exist.
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“Personally, I’d rather discuss what actually happened inside the ring than someone else’s imagination.”
Meanwhile, Frank Smith, CEO of Joshua’s promoters Matchroom Boxing, told the Stomping Ground: “Simon does talk some waffle, doesn’t he? There’s no difference here.
“Shut up, Simon. What a wally. I’m sure he’ll explain himself in his radio show. It’s Simon Jordan, he’s the king of being divisive, gets the people going. I don’t read much into it, personally.
“I’m not saying I agree with the statement, but like, what a wild thing to say. You think it was all part of the plan? Got dropped, got back up, then dropped. Okay, thanks, Simon. Crazy man.”
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Lapin joined Joshua’s team in recent months as “AJ” began training with former opponent Oleksandr Usyk, with whom Lapin works.
Joshua with his promoter Eddie Hearn at Saturday’s post-fight press conference (Reuters)
Joshua traveled to Ukraine to train with Usyk, who previously beat him on points twice, in the aftermath of a December car crash that killed two of the Briton’s teammates. Joshua was injured in the crash in Nigeria, while Latif “Latz” Ayodele and Sina Ghami died.
Joshua’s bout with Prenga was his first since that accident, and it was billed as the former heavyweight champion’s final warm-up before facing Fury.
Joshua might have saved that fight by beating Prenga, one day after Fury stopped a 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in seven rounds in Thailand, in a bout that was not broadcast anywhere.
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Fury, 37, vs Joshua, 36, has been mooted for November, with London’s Wembley Stadium seemingly the frontrunner to host it. However, there now appears to be a tug of war between a UK venue and a possible US location.
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