Former world champion turned manager David Haye is adamant that WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 24-1 (22) will defeat WBC counterpart Tyson Fury 30-0-1 (21) who he believes has become complacent.
The pair of British big men has signed off on a two-fight deal that will see them fight twice this year, first in the summer and then likely in December. Details of the venue and date for the first bout are in the final stages of negotiations.
Fury, 32, has not fought since his upset seventh-round knockout win over then-champion Deontay Wilder 42-1 (41) in Las Vegas in February last year. The fight was a rematch of their first battle in Los Angeles that ended in a controversial split draw 14 months earlier that many fans and pundits felt Fury deserved to win.
Joshua, 31, was last in action in December when he knocked out mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev 28-2 (14) in nine rounds in London, one year after his revenge win over conqueror Andy Ruiz Jr 33-2 (22) in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
Between the two of them Joshua and Fury have defeated every viable contender in the division. The winner of their fight will not only hold the four major sanctioning body belts along with the highly valued Ring magazine title, but they will also be universally regarded as the best heavyweight in the world.
And Haye is of the firm belief that will be Joshua.
“Joshua will win the fight,” Haye told Sky Sports.
“His loss against Andy Ruiz Jr taught him a valuable lesson about complacency and believing your own hype.
“I think Fury is flying so high after his victory in Las Vegas [over Deontay Wilder] and believes he is unbeatable. For good reason – if I were him, I’d think so too.
“Joshua has tasted defeat and will have a different mindset.
“He is so athletically gifted, an Olympic gold medallist who has had so many world title fights, he is newer to the game and is still learning.
“I think that Fury believes he is the finished article. Whereas Joshua doesn’t – he is learning. Fury has been celebrating for a long time.
“This isn’t a bodybuilding competition but I like the mindset and discipline of Joshua.
“In the long term of a physical game like boxing, the dedication and nutrition of Joshua [will come out on top].
“He is an underdog, but I like the underdog.
“Joshua is physically superior. If they did any sport outside of boxing, Joshua would win. A boxing match is skill-based and people believe Fury’s skills supersede Joshua’s.
“But the skilled boxer doesn’t always win. The boxer with speed, endurance, will to win, strategy, who has trained correctly. There are a million elements that go into winning a boxing match but people ignore everything except skills.”
