Anthony Joshua has suggested that Deontay Wilder isn't an 'elite-level fighter'. The reason? The American boxer only has 'one weapon'.
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Anthony Joshua has suggested that Deontay Wilder isn’t an ‘elite-level fighter’. The reason? The American boxer only has ‘one weapon’. Wilder is considered to be among the best heavyweights on the planet right now. However, his devastating right hand is by some margin his biggest weapon. Joshua also said he would like to fight Wilder if the chance arose.
“He isn’t an elite-level fighter, in my opinion,” Joshua told Sky Sports News in one of his first interviews since the Fury fight fell apart.
“He’s good, it’s the heavyweights, so they always know one punch can change the course of a fight. But I’ve never, ever seen in the heavyweight division a fighter going to war with just one weapon, which is what they say is his right hand.
“When you get to the top level? Trust me, that don’t last anymore, that don’t work.
“As we’ve seen now with certain fights of elite-level fighters, he struggles at the top level, and there’s a lot more of us waiting for that opportunity as well to kick his a**.”
Wilder has accused Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn of making ‘excuses’ for not taking the fight with him. But the Brit disputes this claim, saying he sees Wilder as ‘just another one in the pecking order’.
“This is the first time I’m talking about Deontay Wilder, so I don’t know what excuses he’s thinking I’m making.
“I’m a throwback fighter. Check the resume, I’ve been in with all of them. The new school and the old school, and there’s still a lot more to do. I’m fighting a great fighter in (Oleksandr) Usyk.
“I will fight them all. Wilder is just another one in the pecking order, no problem – I don’t know what excuses he’s talking about.”
The American, for his part, believes he can knock out Joshua in ‘devastating fashion’. It is a theory that Tyson Fury, who is set to face both boxers in the future, agree with.
“I’ll deal with these guys later,” Fury told Sky Sports when asked about Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn.
“The most important thing to me is Wilder, the most dangerous heavyweight in the world who would knock out Joshua in the first round.
“I’ve got to get past Wilder then those guys will get their five minutes of fame. I’ll give them the biggest beatdown they have had in their lives.”
Fury, for his part, will have to face Wilder first before setting up a match against Joshua. The Joshua-Fury match was set for later this year, but a court injunction ruled Fury would have to face Wilder in a rematch first.
Fury is, however, unconcerned about who he has to face. “As I’ve told Eddie Hearn, the difference between me and them is they are businessmen and I’m a Spartan.
“This talk of undisputed means nothing to me. I’m not Eddie Hearn or Anthony Joshua. I fight because this is what I do – it’s what I was born to do.
“I’ve got nothing personal against Wilder – I don’t care about belts, or that stuff being remembered. I care about smashing people.
“If Wilder is in front of me I will give him a good hiding. The motivation? It’s what I was born to do – I’m not interested in money, belts or whatever comes with it. I’m interested in blood and the fight.”
As of now, it remains to be seen when the Joshua-Fury fight takes place.
