The Panel
Boxers, trains & pundits
British rivals Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are currently holding talks on an undisputed fight for next year’s WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC heavyweight titles
Last updated: 29/12/20 2:44 pm
1:34
Anthony Joshua says he’s ready for a big show with Tyson Fury
Anthony Joshua says he’s ready for a big show with Tyson Fury
Anthony Joshua against Tyson Fury could be put on hold next year, but who would emerge from a world title fight without a doubt? The Panel has given the judgment …
The British competitors are currently holding talks about a major battle that would see the winner as the No. 1 heavyweight in the world.
But will Joshua or Fury complete the collection of WBC, WBA IBF and WBO belts? Our Sky Sports experts have shared their thoughts …
Carl Froch
I think the only way Anthony Joshua can win this fight is by stopping. He can’t get out of Fury, who is too good on the field. He throws punches from all corners and it’s so weird.
0:38 Joshua admits to becoming ‘more committed’ to boxing in 2020
But Joshua is an Olympic gold medalist with strong foundations and a mixed pound with a real attack. If he brings out the same finishing instinct he has shown in past fights, he can defeat Fury.
AJ gets out of there, I think he can, because you saw explosions of his attack in Kubrat Pulev’s fight. If AJ keeps that up, chances are he could stop it, but the problem is, if he doesn’t stop Fury he’s going to lose points.
Adam Smith
This is the biggest game in a generation that the fans, cheaters and everyone else want to see. I believe it will happen sometime in 2021. Who will win? That’s the big debate.
3:34 Joshua vs. Fury talks are going well, says promoter Eddie Hearn
Tyson Fury became a favorite after he destroyed Deontay Wilder, but Anthony Joshua has withdrawn some comments after his deal with Kubrat Pulev. My favorite thing from AJ is the fact that he was mixing skill and power together, because he’s going to need that power if he ‘s going to stop Tyson Fury’ s great boxing ability.
If Tyson Fury is on top form, it’s going to be a hard night’s work for Anthony Joshua. But I think Joshua has the power to remove any heavy weight in the world.
There are few for me who think that Tyson Fury will struggle with Joshua ‘s growing arsenal, and that it could be a lot harder than some people expect. It’s a pretty tough fight, I hope we get a couple of them, and only then will we know who’s the heaviest heavyweight today.
Johnny Nelson
AJ wins by late stop. AJ has that raw power that makes Tyson Fury think of boxing more than hitting it up. But I believe Joshua will be a much better boxer in this fight than people expect.
1:24 Joshua stopped Kubrat Pulev to defend the overweight titles in his world
As Joshua gets his second wind in the next few rounds, it is only then that he will be able to shoot Fury and knock him down. I think AJ ‘s boxing ability shines brighter, more than people realize. He does better when he makes a box for him, rather than just fighting.
Mata Macklin
I think Fury wins on points. I don’t think he will try the same offensive tactics he showed against Wilder. AJ is much better than Wilder. It may not hit as hard with a single punch, but it still hits hard enough.
Fury stopped Deontay Wilder from becoming a WBC champion in February
He looks at AJ’s outer box, rather than doing what he did against Wilder in the second fight. AJ is a good boxer – he showed that in the replay winning over Andy Ruiz Jr. – but Fury is a top boxer. He has excellent injection, he got better angles, his movement is excellent. I think it will put it off.
Dave Coldwell
It’s a very difficult question, because AJ is getting better all the time. We’re going to talk about a few more months, Kubrat Pulev’s fighting experience, and that’s going to make him a better fighter.
Fury, going on in Wilder’s replacement, did things that were new to him there, and he’s going to get better too. I see both men capable of winning the fight.
If it ‘s just boxing sense, then Tyson Fury is more natural than it does. He is the best boxer, as he has been doing a lot longer and it is very fitting for him.
But if AJ’s modern boxing ability and smartness, and ring universality improve and continue to improve he can find himself in places where the big sights of Tyson can land. If he catches a giant bullet, he knocks out Fury. I can see both men winning the fight, I can of course.
Anndra Clarke
If they fight next, Fury wins and I think he wins on points. Fury is good enough to be able to work out the most effective way to deliver any fight. In the next round with Wilder, he thought, ‘I could have done more in that first fight, I could have taken a small step. ‘The second time around, that’s what he did.
4:05 Joshua wants to go against who owns the WBC belt – and if it’s Fury, so be it!
I think Fury will take a look at Joshua and think he ‘s getting better and better, which he is. People will talk about Joshua vs Fury as bombs away, but it won’t be like that. That is too much of a danger for both of them. No one is going to go out swimming at that point.
They look at each other and Fury feels that the best way to win this fight is to be able to go out to Joshua over 12 rounds – and that is his he tried to do it.