ANTHONY JOSHUA’s physicality will guide him to victory in his undisputed heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury, according to former champ David Haye.
The long-awaited Battle of Britain is on course to take place in the summer after the pair agreed on a venue for the first of their two showdowns.
WBC king Fury has been tipped by many to run rings around Joshua following his emphatic dethroning of Deontay Wilder last February.
But Haye doesn’t foresee The Gypsy King getting the better of AJ, telling Sky Sports: “Joshua will win the fight.
“His loss against Andy Ruiz Jr taught him a valuable lesson about complacency and believing your own hype.
“I think Fury is flying so high after his victory in Las Vegas [over Deontay Wilder] and believes he is unbeatable. For good reason – if I were him, I’d think so too.
“Joshua has tasted defeat and will have a different mindset.
“He is so athletically gifted, an Olympic gold medallist who has had so many world title fights, he is newer to the game and is still learning.
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“I think that Fury believes he is the finished article.
“Whereas Joshua doesn’t – he is learning. Fury has been celebrating for a long time.
“This isn’t a bodybuilding competition but I like the mindset and discipline of Joshua.
“In the long term of a physical game like boxing, the dedication and nutrition of Joshua [will come out on top].
“He is an underdog but I like the underdog.
“Joshua is physically superior. If they did any sport outside of boxing, Joshua would win.
“A boxing match is skill-based and people believe Fury’s skills supersede Joshua’s.
“But the skilled boxer doesn’t always win. The boxer with speed, endurance, will to win, strategy, who has trained correctly?
“There a million elements that go into winning a boxing match but people ignore everything except skills.”
Joshua’s physique is certainly far more intimidating than Fury’s, although the latter could care less about looking like a cover model.
Fury said last year: “I have been going in there bald, fat and hairy and I have knocked out Adonis after Adonis.
“I used to worry about things that had never happened, probably never would happen.
“But now I am not embarrassed to take my top off, I am not trying to get a six-pack, I am just a happy, fat, bald guy.”
Despite the delay in finalising the biggest fight in the history of British boxing, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is confident their two-fight series is still on track.
When asked if the first fight will take place in the summer, the Matchroom Boxing chief told Behind the Gloves: “One hundred per cent.
“That’s the thing. Everybody wants this fight as soon as possible.
“There is no option for this fight to go at the back end of the year, and I’ve made that clear.
“The hardest thing about securing the site is in this world we live in today, most people would like to kick it to November, December.
“That’s not available. It was never available.
“What was available was a summer fight for the undisputed world heavyweight championship. That is what you’re going to get.
“Both guys want two fights this year. One will be in the summer and one will be in December.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
