LEGENDARY boxing coach Teddy Atlas reckons Anthony Joshua could have another ‘blackout’ in his undisputed heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury.
Unified heavyweight king AJ put pen to paper on a whopping £500million two-fight deal to face The Gypsy King last week.
Joshua’s chances of getting the better of the fleet-footed Fury have been written off by many on account of his spectacular defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
And Atlas, the former trainer of Mike Tyson, reckons he’s ‘not far from removed from’ having another ‘power shortage’.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Fight with Teddy Atlas podcast, the 64-year-old said: “I think Fury could stop him.
“I like AJ, he’s a good fighter, he’s got good talent, he’s had a great comeback. I like all that.
“I’m not gonna say he has a China chin, I’m not gonna say that. But, I’m gonna say Fury has a better chin.
“And I’m gonna say he’s been to dark places when he got stopped by Ruiz. He being Joshua. He went to dark places.
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“Now he found a light and he lit the room up and he’s back into a place that’s lit. I just don’t think he’s that far away from a power shortage.
“I think there could be a blackout again, where his confidence [goes].
“When I say the electricity, the light, I attach it to confidence, belief, mental strength and durability.
“I think that a blackout could happen in that generator of his again. He’s not far from removed from being taken back to no lights.
“So I’m going with Fury.”
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Atlas’ belief that Joshua will lose the long-awaited Battle of Britain stems from Fury’s ability to glide in and out of range and his defensive prowess.
Although the Hall-of-Fame coach is refusing to completely write off AJ’s chances of winning the fight.
He continued: “And Fury, all the things he can do in the ring.
“He showed me he can go get you now and he can box and pot shot and move.
“So I’m gonna go with [Fury]. Joshua can punch, Joshua’s a banger.
“He gets into position, but he’s going to have to get into that position.
“Because Fury is more versatile, Fury has more say because he can do more things.
“He can control the outside if he wants and not make it so easy for Joshua to get into his geography so to speak, which I like to talk about.
“But, it’s going to be a humongous fight.”
All that remains for Joshua and Fury’s long-awaited meeting to come to fruition is for both parties to finalise a date and venue.
At this moment in time, both teams are still optimistic the fight will take place in either June or July.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
