Earlier today, Anthony Joshua made it clear that he has two fights in mind that would ‘complete’ his career.
“If I don’t fight Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder, one of those two, then yes,” Joshua responded when asked whether his career would feel incomplete if a Wilder or Fury fight cannot be secured.
Joshua and Wilder have had a rough go at securing a fight with each other over the years, and just when it seemed like they were going to cross the finish line, they were back to square one.
In recent weeks, many in the boxing community have been extremely vocal about this potential matchup. From fans to trainers, promoters, and fellow fighters, talk of a potential Joshua vs Wilder matchup has not lost momentum in the airwaves.
WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who defeated Joshua twice over two twelve-round decision victories in 2021 and 2022, shared that he backs Wilder in the hypothetical matchup.
“Wilder’s incredible streak is that if he hits once, one is unable to fight back,” Usyk said. “I’m going with Wilder, 60-40 in favor of Joshua. He hits incredibly hard. Deontay’s able to send someone flying when he touches them.”
Wilder’s punching power, which has led him to knock out every professional he has fought against besides Tyson Fury, is the difference maker for Usyk in determining a winner for the matchup.
In related news, Usyk confirmed that he will be in attendance for the Fury vs Ngannou fight to witness first-hand how Fury looks exiting the ring. The date for the much-anticipated showdown between Fury and Usyk will largely be determined by the health of Fury following his crossover bout.
“Yes, I’m going there. I would like to see the bout,” Usyk said.