"Maybe I would have probably taken it to Deontay Wilder a bit more"
Thursday 16 April 2020 07:02, UK
Anthony Joshua believed Tyson Fury could "expose" and "annihilate" Deontay Wilder and revealed how he would have enforced his own aggression against the American.
Britain holds all the world heavyweight titles after Fury was crowned as the new WBC champion following a sensational stoppage win over Deontay Wilder in February, while Joshua regained his WBA 'super', IBF and WBO belts with a commanding points victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in December.
Joshua expected Fury to end Wilder's explosive reign as WBC title holder as he felt 'The Bronze Bomber' was too reliant on his destructive right hand.
"I believed Tyson Fury could potentially do what he done," Joshua exclusively told Sky Sports.
"I just felt like, Deontay Wilder is a formidable ex-champion and has a chance to come back, but I just knew that when he gets to the top level, it will be difficult, because it's one thing getting there and it's another thing staying there.
I always believe that when you go to war, you can't have one weapon in your arsenal, which was his right hand.
"We've seen in some of his fights, it's been difficult for him and then he lands his punch and he's been victorious, but I always believe that when you go to war, you can't have one weapon in your arsenal, which was his right hand.
"Once that was taken away from him, which Tyson Fury did, I'm not going to go into tactics, but he was able to annihilate Deontay Wilder and expose him for some of his weaknesses.
"Tyson Fury did a great job tactically and I'm looking forward to their rematch."
Fury displayed more attacking ambition from the start of his second fight with Wilder, who was forced into reverse by a succession of right hands before the fight was halted in the seventh round.
Joshua has suggested that Wilder could not implement the same back-foot boxing that he used to nullify Ruiz Jr in their rematch, meaning that the Alabama man struggled to withstand aggressive tactics.
"In terms of doing something similar, I wouldn't have done what he (Fury) done in the first fight," said Joshua.
"Maybe I would have probably taken it to Deontay Wilder a bit more, because I don't think Deontay Wilder has been taught to box on his back foot.
"He doesn't know how to flow and move side to side, and move back and control the fighter. When Tyson Fury was edging forward, on back foot balance, Deontay Wilder was struggling to move forward with his right hand.
"It proved to be a very difficult fight for Deontay Wilder in the end."
