‘The Hayemaker’ reckons Anthony Joshua ‘can be the most devastating heavyweight on the planet.’ Although the key word is can, as the former fighter says he’s doing it ‘the wrong way’ just now.
David Haye faced and beat a 7ft ‘goliath’ in Nikolai Valuev to win the WBA Heavyweight Title in 2009. With that in mind, the man knows how to fight to a game plan against a bigger opponent.
It’s perhaps this experience that has fuelled his latest advice to Anthony Joshua – namely, do things differently. Haye spoke to Boxing Social and broke down what ‘AJ’ must change to have a shot at success against current WBC champion, Tyson Fury.
“He [should] go about it in a completely different way than he went about his last two fights against Oleksandr Usyk. In terms of the movements, the repetitions, the way he does all of the things he does – it needs change. And it can change, he’s very adaptable, and he’s adapted to a style that people have said to him to do. All of the style, it isn’t because he’s found his flow in the style it’s because someone has said ‘okay, put your hands here, put your leg there, jab there, roll under this thing and then do this.’
He’s been taught to do what he does. So if he’s been taught to do what he does … he can be taught to punch in a way which is way more effective against someone who’s got longer arms than you, and has got the rhythm and balance of Tyson Fury.
I think he’s the only person who’s got the capabilities [to beat Fury.] I thought Deontay Wilder did, but Deontay Wilder didn’t.”
Joshua switched trainers before his last fight – the second decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in a row. It’s not unacceptable then to say that he may need some more time with his new coach, Robert Garcia, before any major changes are to be shown properly in the ring.
Perhaps the changes Haye would like to see are something the team are already working on. They’ll have to happen soon though, given the progression of negotiations with Fury’s team. The pair are tentatively pencilled in to face off in Cardiff on December 3.