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Nigerian-born former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Olaseni Oluwafemi Joshua has been sternly warned to avoid taking a career-defining fight with fellow-ex-title holder, Deontay Wilder of USA, megasportsarena.com reports.
Although Joshua was initially set to seek a second redemption fight of his career in a rematch with Oleksandr Usyk later this year, but the undefeated Ukrainian has returned to his country due to the ongoing Russian invasion
That has shifted talk to a title bout with Wilder, but a top British former fighter, Carl Froch has urged Joshua not to take up that prospect as he would ‘probably get chinned’ in a clash with the American.
Joshua was outpointed by Usyk in London last September, losing the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO heavyweight titles in the process and, though he set up a quick rematch this spring, it is unlikely that they will tango anytime soon.
That has set up speculation about alternative bouts being lined up for ‘AJ’, among which is a likely clash with another compatriot, Joe Joyce, but recent posts on social media indicate that many fans are keen to see Joshua fight Wilder, who has twice been beaten by another Brit, Tyson Fury.
‘The Gypsy King’ fought Wilder to a controversial split draw in 2018, with most fans and pundits believing that Fury was robbed of victory, after which the Briton then beat the American in both February 2020 and October 2021.
Fury took the WBC heavyweight title from the American in the second of those contests, before retaining it in their trilogy bout, though he was knocked down twice in their first clash and twice in the third.
With those outings fresh in mind, many would think Wilder is well spent, but Froch, a former super-middleweight champion, is thinking differently, as he advised 32-year-old Joshua not to fight the former WBC heavyweight champ.
Froch told Intu Boxing: “I don’t care if your name is Anthony Joshua or whatever your name is in the heavyweight division.
“[From a] business point of view, don’t fight Deontay Wilder because you’re probably going to get chinned.
“He can knock you out with one punch. Tyson Fury nearly found that out a couple of times
“He’s a massive puncher, there’s a chance you’ll get chinned. If you catch one on the chin, you’re going over.”
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