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Exclusive: Anthony Crolla weighs in on Anthony Joshua's next move

Crolla

There had been talk of Joshua accepting a fee to move aside and allow Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury to determine the division's first undisputed champion since 1999.

Anthony Crolla has had his say on whether Anthony Joshua should've stepped aside to allow a unification between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
It has been revealed there were discussions held between the respective teams of Fury and Usyk in an attempt to crown the first undisputed champion in the heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis.
Joshua surrendered his three world titles to Usyk in September but has since activated his rematch clause.

While there was speculation about Joshua taking a payday to let Fury-Usyk happen, Eddie Hearn exclusively told Planet Sport that it was 'absolute rubbish' now that Dillian Whyte is in line to fight Fury.

"It's hard to say because at the end of the day Anthony Joshua is a fighter and he has the opportunity to put it right," Crolla said when asked if he should have accepted a fee to step aside.
"There's a lot of people saying from a business point of view that it would make much more sense to step aside, rebuild, go learn from it and pick up a big payday to step aside.
"If he could get some agreement that he fights the winner or something then maybe so but it's very hard to say when you have a fighter's mentality. He's got a team around him that will advise him the right decision there."

Crolla reached his goal of becoming a world champion in 2015 before suffering a close points defeat to Jorge Linares in Manchester.

The pair would collide in a rematch in 2017 but it would be the same outcome with Linares retaining the WBA world title.

If put in the same scenario as Joshua before the rematch with Linares, Crolla believes he would have taken the fight over the money on offer.

"I'm pretty certain I would have gone with the rematch - I'm pretty certain I would have done but then there again it wouldn't be the millions I'd be getting offered to step aside.
"If it was then I might have had a few people around me advising me to do that. It's such a hard decision but I think I would have wanted the rematch."

Fury best in the world

Crolla - who is currently building his own stable of fighters since hanging up the gloves, including the debut of Rhiannon Dixon on December 18 - has picked Tyson Fury above Oleksandr Usyk when it comes to ranking the best heavyweight in the world.

Fury defeated Deontay Wilder for a second time in October, knocking the American out in round 11 to retain his WBC world title.

Despite Usyk becoming just the third fighter to unify the cruiserweight division and win world honours at heavyweight, Crolla picked Fury above the Ukrainian southpaw - and expects him to beat mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte.

"I've said for a while a fit and focused Tyson Fury is the best heavyweight on the planet and as good as Usyk was against AJ, I still stick by my opinion that Tyson Fury is the best heavyweight on the planet.
"For him to make a comeback the way he did and beat Wilder twice - he is the number one.
"It's an interesting fight. Dillian has waited a long time for his opportunity but without a doubt, I make Tyson a favourite and a pretty big one if I'm being honest. I'd definitely pick Tyson to come out on top."

Read more: Five of the biggest all-British fights ahead of Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte

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