You’d make Fury the favourite of course but anyone going down the ‘there is no chance Joshua wins at all’ is on the wind up. Technically he’s in a different league to Wilder who was always laughably overrated by a group of demented fanboys. I think the psychology will be fascinating. People who don’t like Joshua have long insisted he’s some nasty piece of work. I wonder if, away from the cameras, he might turn that on. I wonder how Fury would react to a few whispers in his ear about being some cokehead caravan-dweller and all his mental health stuff being a load of nonsense. I’d still pick Fury but the build up on here will be tedium in the extreme.
It isn't happening next. It won't even be the fight after that either. Maybe the one after that but probably not. Fury UD, probably 7-3 or 8-4. AJ is good but he isn't complicated, he isn't bigger and he has been shown to gas at times (though didn't in his last fight to his credit, the one held in a country with no boxing commission...)
Out of curiosity, who on this forum has started this habit of listing the full names of fighters like it's a compulsive disorder: "Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua" "Deontay Leshun wilder" and of course the ever-crazy "Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao" Why not just Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder, just like the ring announcers introduces them?
Other than when he was badly hurt by Klitschko I can't recall Joshua looking like he'd seriously gassed. I know people were dying to suggest he was 'breathing heavy' against the likes of Takam and Parker but he was still winning every round against them without any real difficulty.
IB does it in the general for 'official' fight threads, always has done. It's a nice touch for the most part
He looked badly gassed in the Whyte fight too for a period and was blowing hard after a few rounds against Ruiz (a result of Ruiz's good body work and pressure as much as anything, but still, particularly relevant when we've just seen Fury exert pressure and good body work in a fight). He tends to find his second wind after a round or so off but it's of concern if you've got someone willing (well, able) to correctly apply pressure constantly. It's one of the reasons Usyk is considered a threat to him He was blowing against Takam, no doubt about that but he wasn't properly gassed either, I agree with you there. Considering he was in control of the fight he should probably have been blowing less though. He looked tired enough for the stoppage decision to look even worse than it did. Although I had a tenner on that round at 40\1, so no complaints here!
I reckon Joshua's dodgy tank will go down a similar route to Lewis' dodgy chin. It's not actually as big a problem as people want to make out. I tend to think there are certain things that are very hard to change, and if they're genuine then they are an issue all the time. If Joshua had some shocking engine which was a major issue I don't see how he ends up easily going the distance against the likes of Parker and Ruiz or still be around to win fights at a later stage against Klitschko or Takam for example. I think you've made a bit of a jump to say he was gassed when in reality he was taking a bit of time having been hurt. Pretty much every fighter takes a round or two off at some point or just slows down.
The difference between those fights is that Parker doesn't really apply pressure, and Ruiz couldn't in the rematch - 1 because Joshua controlled distance well, 2 because that idiot came in in terrible shape and 3 as the ring was much larger. Most fighters can box around for 12 rounds if they aren't being properly pressured, BUT I take your point. I don't think his gas tank is garbage but I think it's away enough from being 'excellent' for it to be exploited as a weakness by someone like Fury. I mean, Wlad was 41 and hadn't fought for 2 years. He gets no props from me for having a better tank than Wlad in that fight, though he gets props for surviving long enough to regain some energy. Takam he did look tired in and it was a bad stoppage. I specifically said in that fight I didn't think he was gassed but that he was more tired than he ought to have been considering he controlled the fight.
Off the top of my head i remember him looking particularly gassed vs Whyte and Klitschko after punching himself out rather than from boxing movement.
Could be a step closer to happening... Deontay Wilder reportedly wants a huge payout – likely to the tune of $10million (£8.1m) – and a guarantee he will face the winner of Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua in order to step aside from his third fight with Fury. https://apple.news/Ak9kIbmaNRCetLx_VH_CRLg
No chance, that is a far to much money, Pulev would likely want a large chunk too. No way these greedy promoters pay that out. Also Usyk would also have to take step aside so you're looking at the best part of 15m just in step aside, or about 30-40% of the UK PPV money.
