Ebanie Bridges has sent Anthony Joshua an ominous warning as the British heavyweight ponders his next move.
Joshua’s next fight is not yet known, with the former two-time champion strongly linked with a bout against fierce rival Deontay Wilder in the new year.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn, set tongues wagging this week when he refused to rule out a bout against Chinese veteran Zhilei Zhang, who secured an emphatic win over Joe Joyce last weekend.
AJ fought Zhang on his way to Olympic gold in 2012 but has failed to replicate the performances that took him to the summit of the heavyweight mountain in recent years, with fans and pundits divided over who would win in a Joshua-Zhang bout.
And Aussie beauty Bridges has warned Joshua to avoid Zhang at all costs, questioning the Briton’s toughness to go toe-to-toe with the Chinese star.
Ebanie Bridges has sent Anthony Joshua a warning as he ponders his next move
The British fighter has been linked with a bout against Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang
‘With the power he’s got and Joshua’s chin, that could be a recipe for trouble for AJ,’ she told Safe Betting Sites.
‘I do think Joshua’s a bit more skilled, not as raw as Joe Joyce, but he’s also not as tough. Joe Joyce has the chin and can maybe absorb things that Joshua can’t.’
Meanwhile, Bridges has defended controversial British star Conor Benn and believes that fans will pay in their droves to watch his fights.
Benn failed two VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) drugs tests in the lead up to his grudge match with Chris Eubank Jr last year, causing the bout to be cancelled.
Benn, the son of former world champion Nigel, has fought to prove his innocence since and was cleared to fight in July after his provisional suspension was lifted by an independent National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP).
But Australian beauty Bridges claims AJ is not ‘tough’ enough to defeat the veteran
Benn’s team have insisted the ruling was not jurisdictional, but this is at odds with Mail Sport sources who have claimed Benn’s case was heavily focused on UKAD’s inability to rule on samples collected by VADA.
Regardless of the legal arguments, Bridges says punters will be desperate to see Benn fight whenever he steps into the ring.
‘Everyone still tuned in to watch Conor [Benn] fight. They want to see him fight. They’re still going to f***ing watch it. Yeah, they’re going to slam him online but they’re still tuned in.’