Anthony Joshua says Deontay Wilder took wrong tactics into Tyson Fury fight

Joshua believes Wilder’s jab-heavy approach caused the American to fatigue as the fight wore on

Anthony Joshua believes Deontay Wilder took the wrong tactics into his trilogy fight against Tyson Fury.

Wilder, under new trainer Malik Scott, attempted to execute a more methodical approach, repeatedly jabbing Fury to the body in hope of draining the speed from the Briton’s legs.

However, Joshua believes modern heavyweights struggle to maintain a high output over the course of twelve rounds and that it was Wilder who suffered fatigue as the fight wore on as a result.

During a JD Sports round table, he said: “Not in this day and age [can heavyweights jab for 12 rounds] because heavyweights are different.

“I met the guy who makes gloves the other day, and he said that they never used to have to make special gloves. But now heavyweights are 17 to 19 stone and six-foot ten.

“The whole division is changed in the last, like, five years. And before, fighters could jab like that for 12 rounds and get away with it. They’d get a bit tired, but they were conditioned because they were lighter. But now, when you’ve got big guys [who are] six-foot-seven, they get tired.”

Joshua still reserved praise for Wilder’s ferociousness, with the American dropping Fury twice in the fourth round, but claimed that the ‘Bronze Bomber’ lacked the mental edge to see out the victory.

“He tried, but to get that power and that ferociousness, you have to have it up here [points to his head],” Joshua continued.

“Before you have it just here [clenches fists] at that level, you have to have it here [points to his head] as well.”