‘Obsessed’ Deontay Wilder will beat Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua claims

While Fury revealed he would be ‘disappointed’ to see his British rival lose to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua said he is prepared to fight any heavyweight in the division

Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury meet for a third time next month (AFP via Getty Images)

Anthony Joshua is predicting that Tyson Fury will be knocked out by a reenergised Deontay Wilder in the pair’s latest heavyweight championship clash next month.

Joshua was set to face Fury in the first unification heavyweight fight in more than 20 years before the ‘Gypsy King’ was ordered to face Wilder for the third time.

Fury secured an eighth-round stoppage over Wilder to claim the WBC title in February 2020, the last time both men entered the ring, with the pair fighting to a sensational draw in their first encounter.

Joshua faces the undefeated Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday night and a win for AJ on home soil followed by a Fury victory in Las Vegas would seemingly bring a unification fight closer to fruition.

But Joshua is not predicting that things will go so smoothly and has warned that Fury will be facing a “focused” and “obsessed” opponent in two weeks’ time.

When asked by the BBC to predict the outcome of the 9 November fight, Joshua replied: “I’m not too bothered but because you’ve asked the question, let’s go with Wilder because he seems obsessed, like he really wants it.”

“A focused man is a dangerous man, and he’s focused. Wilder might get the decision. Actually, no, it has to be a knockout. One of them will knock the other out.”

When Joshua’s predication was put to Fury, the 33-year-old warned that the IBF, WBA and WBO champion has “more on his plate than thinking about what I’m gonna do in my fight.”

“He’s got to win his own fight and we’ll see what happens with his fight on Saturday, because I’m not convinced that he is gonna win, either,” Fury said, before predicting a “tough night” for Joshua should the contest go the distance.

Should Fury’s prediction come true then Joshua has said he is prepared to face Usyk in a rematch, while he also said he would want to fight Wilder if the American regains his WBC belt.

“I’ve got a rematch clause if the worst happens. I’m not too sure of Fury’s situation, so if I lose I’m fighting Usyk again,” Joshua said.

“The undisputed gets put on hold. If I win, I’ll fight either one of them. If Fury wins, I’ll fight Fury. But if Wilder wins, I’ll fight Wilder.

If Fury wins and doesn’t take the fight with me, because wants to fight Dillian [Whyte] first or [Derek] Chisora, then I’ll fight Wilder.

“Honestly, there’s no problem with challenging any fighter in the heavyweight division.”