Back when Tyson Fury told everyone he would jump right on Deontay Wilder in an effort to outgun him and get the knockout, not too many people believed him. The feeling was Fury would box and move against the lethal-hitting destroyer, much like he had done in their first fight. But Fury was as good as his word and, at an official weight of 273 pounds, “The Gypsy King” took the fight right to Wilder. And we all saw what happened.
Now, will Fury use the same approach against Anthony Joshua when the two have their enormous showdown later on this year? With Fury, we just don’t know; and neither do his opponents. Will it be Fury the elusive, feinting and taunting boxer, or will it be the aggressive, on the front foot puncher?
In speaking with Gareth A Davies, the reigning lineal and WBC heavyweight champion stated he will fight AJ aggressively, “Just Like I did with Wilder.”
“They said, ‘He’s gonna box and move, he ain’t gonna come and put it on you,’” Fury said regarding the reaction people had to his vow to go right at Wilder in the rematch. “What did I do? Straight at him, bombs all the way through until he got stopped. I’ve got a bigger heart [than Joshua], tougher, mentally stronger, physically stronger, bigger man completely, punch harder, everything is in my favour. When I take it to them, they can’t deal with it.”
Fury added he is “like a T-Rex,” and is “indestructible.” Joshua, though, is a better boxer than Wilder; he has more to his game than the former WBC champ and although he might not hit as hard as Wilder, Joshua has genuinely thudding murderous power. Will Fury really walk right to Joshua and start throwing bombs? If he does it will make for a great fight, a great spectacle for the paying fans, and this is what we all want.
But Fury would be giving Joshua chances he might not otherwise have if he does adopt the aggressive approach and not the tricky, herky-jerky, defensively orientated game-plan that proved so effective against Wladimir Klitschko. Again, you never know with Fury. He says one thing and then does another. Or sometimes, as was the case a year ago in Las Vegas, Fury does exactly what he says he’ll do.
I wonder, what type of approach is Joshua both hoping for and expecting from Fury?