Joshua vs Breazeale: The Panel have made their predictions
Saturday 25 June 2016 23:32, UK
Anthony Joshua is ready to make the first defence of his IBF title against Dominic Breazeale and our panel of experts have made their predictions.
The IBF champion will battle the American challenger at The O2 Arena on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office, and our pundits along with his heavyweight rivals will be keeping a close eye on the action.
Can Joshua extend his unbeaten record with another explosive win? Our Panel have spoken...
Johnny Nelson
AJ will size him up, then let a few shots go and I can only see it being another Joshua knockout. This one might even go into the third round because of the resistance I think Breazeale has got and he's a big unit.
Breazeale looks like he's put everything into getting ready for this, but I think we will just be sitting waiting for that Joshua right hand to land. It might go into the third, but I am leaning towards Joshua in two.
David Price
Breazeale looks like a bit of a handful, regardless of what people are thinking and saying. His best bet is to try and drag him into a firefight but he can't out-box him. I expect Joshua to be better in every department. Faster hands, faster feet, better technique and power.
Breazeale will try and push him back, which no one else has done, but fail to do so - and get caught with the cleaner, crisper punches. Joshua will win this by another knockout, but I think this could go as far as the fourth round.
Tyson Fury
Breazeale is unbeaten, he's tall and heavy but that's as far as it goes. He's no more talented than Mariusz Wach and the rest of them that come over here and he'll get busted up.
This one might be a big old boy but if you want a chance of beating Joshua, you have to be able to box and I am not sure he can. Joshua is inexperienced but don't forget he's an Olympic gold medallist, so he wins this. There's only one thing I am expecting and that's another Joshua knockout.
Tony Bellew
I don't think this is going to go as short as the Charles Martin fight. Breazeale seems a little bit more savvy but I have a feeling Joshua wants more rounds and experience as a world champion.
Breazeale looks like he can move a bit - certainly not static like Martin - and I can see him trying to shift Joshua around a bit at the start. But I want to go on record as saying Joshua will finish this fight whenever he wants to. All I can say is somewhere between rounds three and six.
Joseph Parker
Anthony Joshua lost his cool in the face-off (in May) and that is normal. In the ring, I can see with the other fights he's had, he controls it.
In the Dillian Whyte fight, he was out there to kill, out there to knock him out, but in the Charles Martin fight he took his time and was able to get the knockout early. If he keeps his cool, I think he will come out with a victory in the early rounds. For me personally, I think Joshua will win in maybe two or three rounds.
Peter Fury
I refer to another scenario. Hughie Fury went in to fight Fred Kassi and after round one, Hughie was tired due to his health. You had a 30 per cent Hughie outboxing Kassi and making easy work of him in every round, and then you've got Kassi getting robbed against Breazeale. The commentator said Kassi had won by a landslide.
Where does that all put Breazeale? Look at it realistically. He's not coming to lie down but I think his ability is to be questioned. I think he's too slow and easy to hit so I think it'll be an early night for Joshua.
Eddie Hearn
In heavyweight boxing, especially when Anthony fights, the heart rate goes up 40 per cent. Literally anything can happen. I think the difference with Breazeale is - he won't be afraid to trade, he won't be afraid to let his hands go. It might be his undoing.
I think it's going to be explosive, I think both guys can get hurt in the fight. I'm going for an Anthony Joshua stoppage inside seven rounds.
Glenn McCrory
I think we might see something different from Joshua, I really do. The one thing he needs is fight rounds so I wouldn't be surprised if we see him on the back foot more, just because he can.
Of course it only takes one of those rights to finish Breazeale off and the one thing we know about Joshua is he prepares meticulously, so he will not get caught out taking this guy to easily. I think we could see a new side of Joshua until about the sixth or seventh round.
Ricky Burns
I've seen a few highlights videos of Dominic Breazeale and I haven't seen anything that's going to give Anthony any trouble.
Joshua always puts everything into his gym work and has a challenger's mentality. He knows himself that his power is unbelievable. No matter who he's in with, if it lands then it's done. I can see this fight being over in the first couple of rounds again. As soon as Joshua lands that big right hand, then I think it's game over.
Jamie Moore
Joshua can take anyone out early. If he went in there and tried to recklessly bomb Breazeale out, that might be foolish. I think AJ is a smart fighter and will go in there using that first minute or so to size him up. If Breazeale comes in and tries to put it on AJ then I think he'll get nailed on the way in. If he's negative and tries to survive, I think it might go two or three rounds.
Watching a few of Breazeale's fights, he's not bad technically and was an Olympian. I just think Joshua is head and shoulders above everyone besides Tyson Fury and Wladimir Klitschko. I feel that inexperience will play a factor and I'm going for Joshua inside three rounds.
Lee Selby
I think he'll probably repeat the same tactics as he used against Charles Martin. In any boxing match, you've got to start cautiously because you don't want to get caught. This is especially important in heavyweight boxing because one punch can end a fight; especially in the first round when you're cold. There'll be a feeling out process in the first round.
In the second round, as soon as he starts letting his big shots go then not many men in this world can stand up to them. I saw Breazeale fight and he was caught far too regularly by a really short guy so it'll take one or two punches from Joshua and it'll be over.
Callum Smith
We saw in Joshua's last fight that he'd learned a bit from the Dillian Whyte fight, when he went out too eager and got caught. Against Martin, Joshua picked his shots and timed them well. He's improving each fight. I haven't seen a lot of Breazeale but from the little bit I have seen, he takes a lot of shots and when Joshua lands, I think he'll be in trouble.
As soon as he lands, I think Joshua will win fairly quickly because he's got great killer instincts. I am going for Joshua inside the first three rounds.
Carl Froch
Breazeale is up for it and means business. He is having fun talking to Joshua but let's be honest, boxing is about levels and I just think AJ is a cut above the other heavyweights.
I think he might like to get some experience from this but let's be honest, it will finish when Joshua wants it to finish. Breazeale is an undefeated, confident challenger and can't be written off, but as soon as Joshua smells that blood, he goes for it. It will be explosive but I can't see it going past the second round.
Kell Brook
I can see it ending quite early, just on the back of his recent form and the way he deals with everything. Breazeale might be unbeaten but I just don't think he will be close to AJ's level.
I can't see it going beyond three rounds. AJ might be able to do what he wants once he's sized him up and it might only need one punch then it will be Goodnight Vienna… or Breazeale.
James DeGale
Let's be honest, AJ will knock him out in the early rounds and he will find it easy. I was ringside when Breazele was fighting Amir Mansour and he did get off the floor and came on strong, but it was an injury that decided it.
Breazeale has come out with some good stuff but remember Charles Martin? He talked the talk, but he was terrible and Breazeale might well be the better fighter, but I still expect Joshua to knock him out, inside the first four rounds.
Ohara Davies
I think AJ is much calmer now. In his other fights, he was a lot more eager and has knocked out most of his opponents so quickly. He's the champion now and he's the prey, so I think he'll be smarter, take his time and not be as eager to get that early knockout.
It's about getting the win and I think AJ will take more time and box off the jab. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see the right hand for a few rounds. I'm going to go for Joshua to stop Breazeale in the fifth or sixth.
Nick Blackwell
Two or three rounds if Joshua wants to long it out! I know a bit about Breazeale after speaking to some good heavyweights, David Haye being one of them.
Tyson Fury said he's going to get beat up. They said you wouldn't usually bring this bloke in for sparring. Joshua will do him before three rounds.
Ant Crolla
I'm expecting to see Joshua throwing a few feints early on to draw a reaction from Breazeale and I've got to be honest; I'm expecting an early night and I'll be very surprised if it goes past three. No disrespect to Breazeale but I believe there are levels between them and Joshua is on a higher level.
Breazeale is orthodox and Joshua passed the test of fighting a southpaw Martin anyway. I see this being over early - once Joshua starts landing then I think that'll be it, so I'm going for Joshua inside three.
Watch Anthony Joshua vs Dominic Breazeale live on Sky Sports Box Office from The O2, June 25. Book the event via your Sky remote or online here.
