Barry Jones has weighed in on a potential clash between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder, and reveals his opinion on the fight has done a 180.
In an interview with IFL TV, Jones revealed that he had always favoured Joshua to get the better of ‘The Bronze Bomber,’ with the pair having been linked to a fight for the last seven years.
However, the Welsh former world champion explained that Joshua’s recent performances have led him to believe Wilder will emerge with the victory, should the contest happen next.
“If it happens next, you’ve got to make Wilder a big favourite. Joshua boxed well against Franklin, but there were no answers to questions that have been posed from previous fights. He’s looked like a man who is wary of getting hit, and he continued in that vein.”
“He’s lost the confidence to punch through the target. That might come back, but we haven’t seen it yet.”
“If he boxes Wilder now, you have to fancy Wilder. Whereas a few years back, I always fancied Joshua.”
Though promotional barriers and egos have always stood in the way of the two locking horns, the long awaited fight looks finally set to take place in Saudi Arabia this December.
Skill Challenge Entertainment, who are backed by Prince Khalid of the Saudi Arabian royal family, had been planning to stage Joshua vs Wilder on the same card as an undisputed clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
Though Fury vs Usyk is now off the table for December, it’s still all systems go for Joshua vs Wilder, with a deal reportedly now agreed in principle.