Paulie Malignaggi likes Tyson Fury’s style against Anthony Joshua, but only if the Gypsy King’s legs still hold up to control range. He points out that Joshua must close the distance, yet doubts AJ has the footwork required to get there.
Fury’s movement creates the main problem. If he keeps Joshua following his lead and constantly resets AJ’s rhythm, Joshua risks spending the entire night chasing shadows instead of landing meaningful shots.
“AJ has to obviously get in close,” Malignaggi told Boxing King Media. “It’s not easy against a guy with the footing of Fury, but who knows, maybe Fury’s old legs are a little slower.”
That lingering doubt stops Paulie from locking in a definitive pick. Fury understands how to dictate distance against AJ, but executing that plan across twelve rounds takes functional wheels.
If Fury has lost a step, Joshua gets a direct route into punching range without burning energy on pursuit. AJ does not need sudden speed if Fury can no longer skip away. Joshua simply has to capitalize whenever Fury sits in the pocket.
At the same time, Malignaggi remains skeptical about Joshua’s mobility.
“I think AJ’s feet are a bit cumbersome, though. So, I think the size of the ring and things like that will also matter in the fight.”
A larger ring hands Fury extra space to glide and forces Joshua to cover real estate. A tighter ring gives AJ a clear path to trap his rival, though he must cut off the ring instead of trailing behind.
Paulie’s breakdown hinges entirely on Fury’s mobility. If the legs work, Joshua’s heavy feet could leave him swinging at air. If those legs fade, AJ suddenly finds a manageable target. Malignaggi spots the stylistic edge, but he refuses to assume Fury can still pull it off. He is analyzing a long-gone version of Tyson Fury from ten years ago, not the lumbering heavyweight who actually steps into the ring today.
That 2015 night in Düsseldorf against Wladimir Klitschko might as well belong to another century. Ever since the Usyk beatdowns, the slow-motion survival against Wach, and that labored outing against Makhmudov, Fury has looked completely grounded.
The twitch reflex is gone, the lateral bounce has vanished, and his upper-body slips look like they are running through wet cement. When heavyweight legs check out, no amount of altitude running or motivational talk in Morecambe brings them back.
