Anthony Joshua has admitted he needs Tyson Fury fight to prove his greatness

While in preparation for his mandatory title defense against Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua has confessed that he desperately needs to fight arch-nemesis Fury.

Less than two weeks before he squares up to Ukrainian heavyweight, Usyk, AJ cemented his determination to get in the ring with Fury.

He claims that boxing needs the all-English fight to happen, and it will let him prove just how great he is.

He told BBC Sport:

"Fight good fighters, and they bring out the best of you. We need it for boxing. Training camp is hard. To get better is very difficult in boxing.

"To fight Tyson Fury is a big challenge. I'm going to put that pressure on myself to actually get better. But it's what we all need. I need it. Come on, let's see how good I am."

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Enter Giveaway

Fight fans were buzzing earlier in the year when it looked like Fury vs AJ was going ahead.

But those plans were soon put on the backburner when Deontay Wilder took legal action to force contractual obligations and tie Fury into a decisive third fight.

This caused Joshua to reluctantly accept the mandatory matchup with Usyk to keep hold of his WBA, IBF, and WBO belts.

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Both AJ and Fury now face tricky title challenges. Fury will go into the Wilder fight confident he can continue his reign as the undisputed WBC holder and linear champion.

But the Gypsy King is facing off with a man known to have the biggest knockout punch on the scene.

In Usyk, Joshua is coming up against a former cruiserweight champ known for his lightning speed and slick footwork, with many considering him a banana skin opponent for AJ.

British boxing fanatics are praying AJ annihilates Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 25th, and Fury floors Wilder on October 8th, setting up a winner takes all showdown.