Former three division world champion James Toney has pressed on IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) to man up and travel over to the United States to test his skills.

Joshua is very interested in fighting in the United States, but admits it's a tough sell because of his growing superstar popularity in the UK.

In April, a record 90,000 fans came out to watch Joshua stop Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in London. And then last month, 78,000 came out to watch Joshua to stop Carlos Takam at Principality in Cardiff, Wales.

Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, is on board with is fighter. He says it's tough to bring Joshua to an arena in the U.S. where only 10,000 fans might fill an arena - when they can easily draw an entire stadium full of fans.

"Why doesn't he come over to the States? Is everybody scared?" Toney told Toe 2 Toe podcast.

"Come to the United States to see if you're a great fighter or not, because the US has got the best. The best has got to fight the best. Boxing is in the United States, not the UK, so if you want to be known for your real-boy skills, you have to come to the US.

"I've gone to Italy, Japan, I've been everywhere, all you have to do is put your big-boy pants on and come to the United States and get your ass whooped or you will smash him. Either."

At the moment, the biggest fight for Joshua is a unification with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder.

Wilder would like to fight Joshua on U.S. soil.

Toney, who sparred with Wilder in the past, views the contest with Joshua as a 50-50 fight where the winner will be the boxer who lands that first big shot. 

"I met Joshua when he was 2-0 and back then I said to him 'you're going to be a world champion' and to this day, he is," Toney said.

"I've had a few rounds with Deontay Wilder, and he wasn't great, but to me, it's not a love-hate situation.

"Who wins? It could be Wilder or Joshua. It's a 50-50, whoever lands the first meaningful one, wins."