DEONTAY WILDER accused Anthony Joshua of being “fearful of running out of gas” in his rematch loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
AJ was beaten on points by Usyk for the second time in the space of 11 months in August in Saudi Arabia.
And Wilder pointed to Joshua’s gas tank as a major fault in his style.
He told Sky Sports: “I just think Joshua was very cautious in what he did as far as exchanging punches.
“I always forever said it, as I see it he has a big stamina problem. I think if he can correct that, I think you will see a different Joshua.
“You won’t see one that’s so hesitant to throw punches and do things especially when he had Usyk, was close to getting him out of there.
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“I think he was just a little fearful of running out of gas too quick and too fast and he held back a little bit.”
Usyk, 35, set himself up for a historic four-belt unification bout with Tyson Fury, 35, the first in heavyweight history.
But he ruled himself out until next year to rest and recover with loved ones having returned to his war-torn home of Ukraine.
Fury instead turned his attention to beaten-and-bruised Joshua, 32, as talks continue over a December 3 Battle of Britain bout in Cardiff.
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Usyk reacted by calling out Wilder, 36, who returns on October 15 against former sparring partner Robert Helenius, 38.
He said: “I heard about the Usyk situation and he’s going to be there. I hold Usyk to be a man of his word.
“If Usyk’s saying he wants to give me an opportunity for the titles then that’s what I’m holding his word to.
“I always tell people that I don’t look past fighters but I do look through them, there’s nothing wrong with that, being confident in yourself and looking ahead once this chapter is closed.
“I’ve got to handle business at the end of the day. Without handling business then nothing else is moving forward.
“I’m taking it one fight at a time. I’m taking it all in one day at a time.
“Once I’ve accomplished and finished what I have to do with Robert then I’ll move on and I’ll be looking forward to the next challenge, whether it’s Usyk or whether it’s anybody else.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
