By Jim Strobridge: Tyson Fury maintains that Anthony Joshua still won’t be the #1 heavyweight on the planet even if he defeats him in their still unofficial match in July because he’ll need to beat Deontay Wilder as well.
Joshua’s job won’t be done if he can send Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) down for his first career defeat this summer, according to the Gypsy King. It’s not that complicated.
Joshua WILL be viewed as #1 after beating Fury, and he clearly won’t need to defeat Wilder to capture that spot.
The public will obviously view Joshua (24-1, 22 KOs) as the number one heavyweight in the world if he defeats Fury, and he won’t need to jump through another hoop by beating former WBC champion Wilder (42-1-1, 41 Kos).
Fury took care of Wilder in the eyes of the boxing world last year, and he’s no longer a factor in the division.
If Wilder had returned to the ring immediately last year, he’d have potentially redeemed himself. The fact that Wilder hasn’t fought since his loss to Fury, he’s not a factor any longer.
Joshua must beat Fury and Wilder to become #1
“When I win, I am the best of this era because I beat everyone in it,” said Fury to Behind The Gloves about his July contest against Joshua. “[Wladimir] Klitschko, Wilder and AJ.
“If AJ wins, he will still not have beaten anybody. He has to beat me and Wilder,” said Fury.
It’ll be fun to hear what Fury says if Joshua defeats him and Wilder in back-to-back fights. Will Fury say that Joshua still isn’t #1 because he needs to defeat so and so?
Joshua has already defeated Dillian Whyte and Wladimir Klitschko, so Fury can’t pull those two names out of the hat for him to fight.
Fury’s comments about Joshua still needing to defeat Wilder after he beats him sounds like it’s coming from a fighter preparing himself for defeat.
It’s a bitter comment from Fury, sounding like a guy that will refuse to give way to the superior fighter if he loses. Sometimes you got to give way when you lose and give your opponent credit. It doesn’t sound like Fury will do that if he comes out the loser against Joshua in July.
Fury believes Wilder beats Joshua
“I don’t think he can beat Deontay Wilder,” said Fury about Joshua. “And I have no love for Wilder; I think he is a piece of s*** dosser, but I am the only man who can beat him.
“I am not a betting man, but I would put a lot of money on Wilder beating all the others, including Joshua,” said Fury.
The Wilder that fans saw in his last three fights against Fury and Luis Ortiz stands no chance against Joshua. Wilder looked like a rudimentary fighter, a guy that only had a right hand and nothing else to offer.
