Opinion seems to be split on Anthony Joshua’s last performance against Robert Helenius but boxing journalist Gareth A Davies certainly thinks it leaves one man as the clear underdog in a potential match-up with Deontay Wilder early next year.
Joshua took his time to break down the giant Helenius at the O2 in London. He was staying on the outside and jabbing his way in for much of the fight until he landed a hellacious overhand right to end things on the spot in the seventh round. It was his first knockout win for almost three years, though Helenius has claimed it would have been different had he had a full 12-week camp.
Speaking to IFL TV, Davies was asked what would happen if Joshua approaches the much mooted Wilder fight the same manner in which he fought Helenius.
“Before this fight I was germinating the view that he might be able to outbox Deontay Wilder but I don’t think he will. I don’t think he can. It’s shoot-out for him. He needs to go in there and make it a four or five-round shoot-out. Can he do that? That’s the $60 million question.”
Davies was then asked if Wilder is the favourite.
“Yeah, he is a massive, massive favourite. Wilder has been down and can get up again. Fury can go down and get up again. Can Joshua take a big punch and go down and get up again? Has he got the desert to put in on Wilder, and put it on him early? I think most people would agree that’s his best option to do that.”
Maybe people also said after the weekend that Joshua – who has indeed been put down hard but got back up to win when he fought Wladimir Klitschko – should take one more fight before Wilder. Time will tell.