Dubai, UAE -- Mike Tyson has tipped Anthony Joshua to carry the torch for boxing's heavyweight division for many years to come after his victory over Wladimir Klitschko.

Joshua added the WBA and IBO heavyweight title to his IBF crown with a stunning stoppage of Klitschko last Saturday, a fight watched by 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium.

The excitement Joshua has brought to the heavyweight division has led to comparisons with Tyson in his pomp and the Brooklyn-born fighter believes the Brit is only just getting started.

"Whenever there's a new heavyweight champion and he's explosive like that and wins the title like that it changes the whole game," Tyson said at the launch of his Mike Tyson Academy franchise in Dubai. "All the little guys that were making a lot of money are not going to make their money any more.

"It's all going to be about Joshua and the heavyweights now. That one fight changed boxing."

Tyson admitted he knew little about Joshua before the fight but insisted that he exhibited all the qualities necessary to be a long-serving champion.

"It was a great fight," Tyson told ESPN. "I had actually picked Klitschko to win as I thought this was just some jumped-up young guy from England. But man he fought well. Klitschko is 41 and no-one has ever done that to him.

"Importantly, he showed heart. He took a big punch from Klitschko and went down but he got back up. He showed real intestinal fortitude. He's consistent, persistent and he didn't give up. There's no quitting in him. I love that he goes out there to hurt his opponent, too. That's what boxing is all about but most fighters just don't have that hunger.

"Joshua is still just a baby with 19 fights, it took me 28 fights to become world champion. But who cares, he's the champ. The sky is the limit for him now and he is going to dominate the division and make so much money if he just keeps on doing what he's doing."

The Klitschko victory was Joshua's 19th straight win by knockout, the Brit's impressive start to his professional career mirroring Tyson, who also had 19 consecutive knockouts to his name before beating James Tillis on points in his 20th fight.

Beyond the similar records, Tyson and Joshua also share a similar route into the sport with both starting boxing as a means to escape their difficult upbringings.

"I see the comparison, sure," Tyson said. "If you are of an Afro-English background you're likely to have a tough time; if you're born in the wrong part of town it's always going to be rough. You're going to be financially challenged, scholastically challenged. It was like that for me and it's like that now.

"Boxing gives kids - like me, like Joshua - an outlet. You can take a guy with nothing, clean them up and next thing he's meeting the President of the United States or the Prime Minister of the UK. It's a great leveller."

Though Tyson and Joshua share much in common, the pair's personalities are markedly different. Tyson's notoriously abrasive demeanour during his career earned him the nickname 'The Baddest Man on the Planet'.

Joshua's image, in contrast, is more of gentle giant - though the former champion feels that is likely to change.

"He's a nice guy but he's got to stop being a nice guy soon. It's hard to stay that way, believe me. People are going to irritate him and he's going to end up saying things he didn't know he was capable of saying on television! That's what happens."

Elsewhere in the heavyweight division there isn't too much to get excited about according to Tyson, who hopes Joshua avoids facing WBC champion Deontay Wilder in a unification bout.

"With what Joshua can bring now everyone will want to fight him because he is bringing the money to the table. After the Klitschko fight, nobody is going to want to watch Deontay Wilder or any of those guys. They won't pay for it, they want the best and the best is Joshua.

"I really don't think Deontay Wilder would be a good fight for Joshua, I'd much prefer to see him fight Mike Perez. He needs a couple more fights but that could be great to watch."

http://www.espn.com/boxing/story/_/id/19307350/mike-tyson-all-anthony-joshua-now

davidif

Time for you and your ilk to give the biggest superstar in boxing right now his probs.

He single-handedly gave life to heavyweight boxing and he's only going to get bigger. Just wait till he cracks the US market and it's game over. Movies, rappers, US celebrities, talk shows etc. are going to start running after him.

Kiss the ring!

Words from a real bossmannn!!! Heed those words Joshua and u shall soar!

joseph1013:
Tyson delivering the hitman himself!!! Wonder why he wants him to avoid Wilder though. He wants Perez that was no match for Povetkin, who was no match for Klitschko.

He could defeat Wilder but he wants him to take some sure victories and get that dominion in the heavyweight first before trying someone like Wilder.

Joshua should not avoid anybody. He should be a fighting champion. He should take on all major contenders. Wilder, fury, bellew and haye. That way, he will cement his name as a legend of boxing in the mold of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Louis, rocky marciano and the money man, yes, Floyd Mayweather jr

U guys calling wilder..... Did u read the write-up? Mike Tyson actually meant wilder is no match for Joshua, as nobody will want to watch such a bout. Wilder is still a small fry compared to the big boys like fury,joshua and klitscko!

SirShymexx:
davidif

Time for you and your ilk to give the biggest superstar in boxing right now his probs.

He single-handedly gave life to heavyweight boxing and he's only going to get bigger. Just wait till he cracks the US market and it's game over. Movies, rappers, US celebrities, talk shows etc. are going to start running after him.

Kiss the ring!

After just 19 bouts?