IT may be two fights away and dependent on both men putting away potentially tough opponents, but Joshua v Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world appears on target for 2024.
The two boxers are happy to hype up a potential unification bout, much in the same way as they did earlier in the year before officialdom stepped in and a proposed fight between the two was off; Tyson Fury effectively told he would be fighting Deontay Wilder for a third time, reports The Independent.
With Fury v Wilder III coming up in October, Joshua is expected to face the winner if he comes through his fight against Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian is a 2/1 (200) outsider to beat the British champion, 4/11 (-275) – bet $11 on Joshua and you get $15 back if he wins – but Alex Ruiz was 25/1 (2500) when he beat Joshua back in June 2019. You can improve your odds if you claim free bets offered by Illinoisgambler site.
Six months later Joshua gained revenge on Ruiz to reclaim his WBA (Super), WBO and IBF titles, and followed that with a ninth-round stoppage of Kubrat Pulev. After the proposed Fury fight failed to materialise, the WBO ordered Joshua to fight Usyk.
Despite no signs of an agreement for the two Brits to face off in the ring, the gambling firms have already made Fury favorite in a potential unification clash next year. Fury’s undefeated professional record with one draw against Wilder and 30 wins appears to have impressed the sportsbooks, the 33-year-old’s seven round demolition of Wilder in February 2024 still fresh in the memory, reported atlnightspots.com.
The man from Manchester is trading at 4/7 (-175) in a match-up with Joshua, the 31-year-old from Watford, just outside London, is the outsider at 15/8 (+187.50).
And the two fighters have already started the trash talk.
After Joshua blasted, “I’ll smoke that guy,” Fury retorted, “AJ couldn’t smoke a cigarette, never mind smoke the ‘Gypsy King’.
“The difference between me and him? He’s a businessman and I’m a Spartan. I’ll show him that when I get in the ring. I will absolutely annihilate that bodybuilder.
“He wouldn’t go past six rounds. It would be over quickly. He knows that and his whole team knows it.”
Despite Fury’s protestations that he never really believed a fight with Joshua would come off earlier this year, he speaks like a potential clash between the pair is in the offing. But first is the small matter of Wilder, with most pundits believing Fury will make short work of the American; sportsbooks have the WBC champion at 3/10 (-333) to retain his title, with Wilder as long as 5/2 (+250).
The unknown element in what could be described as the two heavyweight semi-finals is Usyk. At 34 he’s no fresh-faced youngster, but like Joshua he did win gold at the London 2012 Olympics, and Joshua’s training regime appears to indicate he spots real dangers in the former cruiserweight.
One thing he has in abundance is speed of thought and great footwork, so much so that recent pictures indicate Joshua has concentrated on fitness, looking toned and lighter than many have seen him before. The main advantage Joshua has, apart from the fact he is the world champion and boasts a professional record of 24 wins and one defeat, is that he is a natural heavyweight, something that Usyk will never be.
The reigning WBC heavyweight boxing world champion, Briton Tyson Fury expressed doubts that his unification fight with WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belt holder Anthony Joshua will ever take place.
“I have two or three fights left because no one else is capable of giving me problems. All my opponents were defeated. Anthony Joshua did not fight any of the heavyweights in his prime. I’m not very optimistic, I don’t think the fight with Joshua will ever take place, ”Fury said in an interview with Gary Neville.
Recall that Joshua will fight Alexander Usyk on September 25, Fury will have a third fight with Deontay Wilder on October 9.
Fury previously said that his fight with Joshua could take place in March 2024.
Former world heavyweight champion American Deontay Wilder (42-1-1, 41 KOs) is confident that this time Briton Tyson Fury (30-0-1, 21 KOs) will not be able to refuse to enter the ring and at the same time avoid the consequences …
Recall that the boxers were supposed to hold the third fight in July, but Fury announced that he had contracted the coronavirus, and the fight was postponed to October 9.
“If he does not enter the ring, he will suffer from the consequences and penalties that were prescribed (in the contract). If he doesn’t fight, then pay me what is due. And in that case, you have to give up the title, ”said Wilder.
Former world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker gave a prediction for the fight between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
According to the athlete, he will not help Fur prepare for a fight with Wilder. Parker announced that he will fly to Vegas just to go to this fight, support the fighters, plunge into this atmosphere and watch the fights of other heavyweights. From there he will fly to the UK and start training camp. According to Parker, he will not take part in Fury’s camp, but he wants to watch this fight.
“I always support Fury. I bet on his victory. It’s exciting and cool to watch Malik Scott work with Deontay Wilder in the gym, how he helps him in various aspects, but I just think that Fury will be too tough for Wilder.” said Joseph Parker.
According to the latest data, the fight between champions Fury and Wilder will take place in Las Vegas on October 9.
This fight will be the main event of the year in the boxing world. Also, bets on this fight are likely to become record-breaking in this sport in 2024.
