Boxing: Anthony Joshua Backs Fury To Beat Wilder
Anthony Joshua has backed heavyweight rival Tyson Fury to beat Deontay Wilder in their highly-anticipated heavyweight trilogy fight in July 2021.
Wilder and Fury are going to meet for a third time after a judged ruled on the legitimacy at the American’s right to a rematch following his brutal defeat in Las Vegas back in February 2020.
The court ruling scuppered any chance of seeing Joshua and Fury face off in a big unification fight this summer. Joshua is now likely to face mandatory opponent Oleksandr Usyk in September.
Joshua is currently training with Team Great Britain’s boxing hopefuls in their camp before they jet off for this summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics in Japan.
In an interview, Joshua was asked who he was backing to win between his heavyweight rivals.
“I don’t mind, I don’t mind,” Joshua said after briefly hesitating. “But Fury won the last one so I’ll go with Fury because you’re only as good as your last performance. But good luck to them both.”
Asked about his plans for the immediate future, Joshua insisted he’s “got no other option” than to beat Usyk and continue to work towards that unification fight in the future.
“I’ve got to defend my title. I’m going to be training alongside the team preparing for my championship fight while these guys prepare for the Olympics,” Joshua added.
“I’m going to win because I have to. I’ve got no other option and then I’m going to get on to the next fight which is the undisputed. So we’re back on the road to undisputed, I’m supporting the Olympic boys and then when they finish with a bang hopefully the next fight I have will be an undisputed fight.
“So there will be so many eyes on the boxing scene in 2021 and 2022,” Joshua said.
Chidi Nwoke/talkSPORT.
