{"id":823543,"date":"2026-07-24T17:45:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T17:45:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/823543\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T17:45:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T17:45:49","slug":"anthony-joshua-warns-zuffas-carrots-wont-replace-boxings-world-titles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/823543\/","title":{"rendered":"Anthony Joshua Warns Zuffa’s “Carrots” Won’t Replace Boxing’s World Titles"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anthony Joshua is not ready to treat boxing\u2019s world titles like old souvenirs. With Dana White\u2019s Zuffa Boxing making aggressive moves in the sport, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion said the appeal of becoming a recognized world champion still carries weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow we have people like Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson that are complaining about sanctioning fees,\u201d Joshua said. \u201cThey\u2019re saying, \u2018We don\u2019t need the belts anymore\u2019 because of the other promotional company that\u2019s now emerged in America [Zuffa] which are trying to change the landscape of boxing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anthony Joshua Says Boxing\u2019s Historic Belts Still \u201cStand Strong\u201d as Zuffa Changes the Conversation<\/p>\n

Zuffa Boxing has moved fast since its launch, building a roster that includes Jai Opetaia, Conor Benn, Callum Walsh, Efe Ajagba and Jose \u201cRayo\u201d Valenzuela. It later added IBF junior-welterweight champion Richardson Hitchins and super-middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga to multi-fight agreements.<\/p>\n

Benn\u2019s deal made the loudest early noise. Reports placed his one-fight agreement in the eight-figure range, with one figure putting it at $15 million, even though full contractual details have not been released. Joshua sees that spending as a factor in why some fighters are reconsidering the value of traditional championship belts.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are now changing their tone because carrots are being dangled in front of them,\u201d Joshua said. \u201cBut for me, personally, I think the heritage, the history of the sport still stands strong in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc40 Anthony Joshua: “Now we have people like Terence Crawford and Shakur Stevenson that are complaining about sanctioning fees. They’re saying, ‘We don’t need the belts anymore’ because of the other promotional company that’s now emerged in America [Zuffa] which are trying to\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/7PvCbFNi4h<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 EverythingBoxing | Darshan Desai (@EverythingBoxi2) July 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Joshua built his career around the established championship route. He won the IBF heavyweight title by stopping Charles Martin in 2016, then added the WBA and IBO belts against Wladimir Klitschko before completing a first unification with the WBO title against Joseph Parker.<\/p>\n

\""If<\/p>\n

His view is simple that a belt from the WBA, WBC, IBF or WBO does more than add hardware to a photo shoot. It places a fighter in a lineage that includes the sport\u2019s past champions, creates a recognized target for opponents and gives fans a familiar standard to follow.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t beat being a world champion in my opinion,\u201d Joshua said.<\/p>\n

That does not mean he is ignoring the problems fighters raise. Sanctioning bodies charge fees for title bouts, and those payments have become a regular source of frustration for high-profile champions. Crawford and Stevenson have both questioned whether the fees are worth it when a fighter\u2019s name, demand and earning power can be bigger than the belt itself.<\/p>\n

\"AnthonyMIAMI, FLORIDA \u2013 DECEMBER 19: Jake Paul<\/a> is knocked down against Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight bout Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua at Kaseya Center on December 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ed Mulholland\/Getty Images for Netflix)<\/p>\n

Still, Joshua\u2019s position is that the answer is not to discard the titles altogether. He believes their history still separates a genuine world champion from a promotional creation.<\/p>\n

Joshua returns on Saturday, July 25, when he faces Albania\u2019s Kristian Prenga<\/a> in a heavyweight main event at Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is a non-title fight and a calculated return for the two-time unified heavyweight champion, who is expected to use a win to set up a proposed Tyson Fury<\/a> showdown later this year. <\/p>\n

Prenga enters on a 16-fight winning streak but has not faced opposition on Joshua\u2019s level, making the bout a chance for AJ to shake off rust, deliver a statement and avoid the sort of upset that could derail one of British boxing\u2019s biggest possible fights. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Joshua is set to fight this weekend, with the heavyweight division watching closely as he looks to stay in position for another major assignment. A meeting with Tyson Fury later this year remains the obvious prize if both men come through their next moves.<\/p>\n

Zuffa Boxing<\/a> can offer major checks and a new route to stardom. Joshua is saying boxing\u2019s old route still has value, and that being called a world champion is not something he plans to trade away.<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/p>\n