‘Lennox is a clown’: Anthony Joshua launches stinging attack on former champion Lewis

Anthony Joshua has taken aim at British heavyweight boxing legend Lennox Lewis, calling the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world a “clown”.

Lewis had criticized Joshua's preparation ahead of his shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. and suggested the now-former heavyweight champion may be better off parting ways with longtime coach Robert McCracken.

But, speaking during Sky Sports' boxing special 'AJ: The Untold Truth', Joshua responded to Lewis in uncharacteristically outspoken fashion.

“Lennox is a clown. I don't respect Lennox,” he fired back.

“Me and Lennox are not the same. My legacy is to sit back and enjoy the younger generation coming up, and not to be involved. Just to appreciate what it takes to get there. Lennox isn't like that. Me and Lennox are cut from a different cloth.”

Joshua is preparing to face Ruiz in a rematch in Saudi Arabia on December 7, and said his new goal is to become champion again before moving on to unify the division.

“I became heavyweight champion, I unified the division twice, and now my goal is to become two-time heavyweight champion of the world. Once I achieve that, I can look at becoming undisputed champion,” Joshua said.

“That undisputed stuff? It was right in front of me but it was one of the biggest curses lingering over my head when I was champion.”

It led to one boxing Twitter account to ask which of the two British heavyweights would win if they had both faced off in their prime.

And after watching the feud from across the Atlantic, newly-minted heavyweight champion Ruiz couldn't resist stirring the pot with a quickfire reply.

“Lennox all day.”