Fabio Wardley has shared his assessment on the potential showdown between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. He suggested that Joshua’s upcoming return will provide crucial answers ahead of the potential blockbuster.
The biggest boxing showdown in British boxing history between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is expected to go ahead later this year, as Turki Alalshikh and Eddie Hearn confirmed that the fight has been signed.
However, no official announcement has been made, nor has the date or venue been set. Meanwhile, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion will face Kristian Prenga on July 25, widely considered a warm-up for the Olympic gold medalist.
Since Alalshikh confirmed that Fury vs. Joshua has been signed, it has created buzz on the internet and in the boxing world, with many analyst and boxers alike sharing their early prediction.
During his interview on Sky Sports, Wardley weighed in on Fury vs Joshua. He emphasized that Joshua’s upcoming bout will play a major role in shaping expectations for a future fight with Fury.
“It’s a hard one,” he told Sky Sports when asked which British heavyweight icon has the most left. “I think the warm-up will give us the answer, to be honest.”
Wardley believes Joshua needs a clear test
Wardley pointed to Fury’s own comeback fight, where the ‘Gypsy King’ secured an unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, as an example of how difficult it can be to immediately regain peak form after time away.
“Because, like we saw with the Tyson Fury warm-up or comeback fight, whatever you want to call it, he wasn’t the quickest to it in those first few rounds. It did take him three or four to find his feet, rhythm, and range again.”
Wardley noted that the early stages raised questions for Fury, which eventually settled into his performance.
“Once he did settle into the fight, it did feel relatively comfortable, but for those first few rounds, I think everyone was a bit edgy, thought he could get caught, or just didn’t look the same.”
Wardley also addressed Joshua’s recent performances, suggesting they do not fully reflect his current level. He believes the upcoming bout will provide a clearer picture.
“So I think this warm-up fight for AJ will answer this question. We will see how he looks in that because I don’t think the loss to Dubois or the Jake Paul fight are a fair measuring stick for the AJ we have seen. So this will be the real test.”
Joshua has been out of action since his dominating knockout victory over Jake Paul past December. A few weeks after that victory, the former champion was involved in a car accident that claimed the lives of his two friends.
The former two-time unified heavyweight world champion’s next bout is considered a warm-up, and he is expected to get the job done quickly without any damage, so it won’t delay the Fury showdown.
