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Nigerian-born former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Olaseni Oluwafemi Joshua has been cited as an example of what to avoid in the roped square.
Megasportsarena.com reports that this comes from Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, who warned a fellow-Briton to beware of making the same errors his ward committed in his loss to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk.
Hearn gave the charge to British heavyweight challenger, Dillian Whyte, who takes on fellow-Brit, Tyson Fury in a title fight this weekend, ahead of which he been told not to make the same mistakes Joshua did when he tried to outbox Usyk in September last year.
Hearn’s warning comes few days before Whyte steps out for his long overdue crack at the World Boxing Council (WBC) title against the holder, Fury, this Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London, heading into which the challenger is considered a big underdog.
Not many a pundit fancies Whyte’s chances against the undefeated ‘Gypsy King’ but Hearn, who is also the challenger’s promoter, believes ‘The Body Snatcher’ can cause an upset once he avoids repeating the same loopholes Joshua was guilty of, when he opted against using his size and strength in his tango with former cruiserweight king, Usyk.
Whyte will also have to take a cue of caution from another slip up by Joshua, as former champ previously lost his world titles to Mexican-American, Andy Ruiz before claiming them back in an immediate rematch same year in Saudi Arabia.
Hearn told TalkSport: “Dillian definitely can knock out Fury, it’s a case of doing it. Tyson Fury is a very difficult opponent to outsmart, out think and I think you mustn’t do that.
“We saw when Anthony Joshua fought Oleksandr Usyk, I think he tried that approach, and it didn’t work.
“You’ve got to take Fury out of his rhythm but easier said than done, especially with the inactivity of Whyte.
“Saying that Tyson Fury has also been quite inactive over the past few years as most people have been.
“When you look at a fight like this you look at ways in which Whyte can win. Can I see him winning?
“The answer is I can. I don’t think he’ll win rounds, but he can force the knockout or the stoppage. He’s got to be very aggressive and probably a bit reckless as well.”
Joshua also had some soothing words from the Matchroom chief executive, who announced that the London 2012 Olympic Games gold medalist will get his shot at winning back his belts this summer against Usyk.
Hearn confirmed: “The [Usyk rematch] is all done, it’s all agreed. It’s 100 per cent Anthony Joshua versus Oleksandr Usyk the rematch.
“We’re finalising the location at the moment, [Usyk’s] team are in London this week so we’re gonna sit down with them.
“I think in two weeks’ time we’ll finalise the date. It will be July. And hopefully, AJ can become a three-time heavyweight world champion.”
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