Former unified light welterweight world champion Amir Khan has advised Anthony Joshua to hold off on other fights and wait for a mega-bout with Tyson Fury before retiring from boxing, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The British-Pakistani fighter believes Joshua, who has amassed over $200m in career earnings, should conclude his illustrious career with the long-awaited all-British showdown against the Gypsy King.
“He should wait for the big fight against Tyson Fury,” Khan told New Zealand Daily. “They’re both such big names and I think he should call it a day after that.
“AJ has done phenomenal in boxing and has made a lot of money, won a lot of titles, fought around the world, and is a big name but for him, why not finish on a big high by taking the Fury fight and then call it a day?”
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The Olympic gold medallist is currently nursing injuries following his fifth-round knockout loss to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois in September, with his promoter Eddie Hearn confirming he won’t return to action until at least May 2024.
Meanwhile, Fury is preparing for his rematch with unified champion Oleksandr Usyk next month, having lost his WBC heavyweight title to the Ukrainian via split decision in May.
Khan, who enjoyed a stellar career himself, believes Joshua has taken relatively little damage throughout his career and could preserve his legacy by retiring after the potential Fury clash.
“He can then enjoy the rest of his life knowing people have respect for him as a great champion. At the same time, he has not taken that much punishment,” the former champion added.
The proposed bout could materialise under the Riyadh Season banner, with His Excellency Turki Alalshikh expected to make a lucrative offer should Fury fail to reclaim his title from Usyk in December.
