Shakur Stevenson has no doubt in his mind who wins a fight between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, believing that if it happens it has come around at the wrong time for one man.
The contest could have once been for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
It wasn’t made, and since then Joshua has lost his IBF, WBA and WBO belts to Oleksandr Usyk whilst Wilder has had the WBC belt removed from him by Tyson Fury in a thrilling trilogy.
Regardless of the belts, the transatlantic scrap hasn’t lost its appeal given it features two big hitters – one of which is commonly known as perhaps the most powerful ever – and the narrative that the loser may be in line to hang up the gloves.
In an interview with 2nd Wind podcast, Stevenson – himself a two-weight world champion – revealed he is backing his countryman Wilder, believing ‘AJ’ is currently ‘lost’ as a fighter.
“Wilder by knockout. I like Joshua but he just seems lost right now. He seems real lost with changing trainers. He seems like he’s looking for somebody to help his career and I feel like he probably should be the one helping his own career.
And Wilder man – he punch so damn hard. He punch so hard. Wilder a beast though.”
Joshua left longtime coach Rob McCracken after his first loss to Usyk, linking up with Robert Garcia for a rematch the produced the same result before parting ways with him as well.
He now has two fights under his belt under the guidance of Texan trainer, Derrick James, and has restarted negotiations to face the American at the start of 2024.
It would be Wilder’s first fight since October of 2022 if he doesn’t have a tune-up in between – something his team aren’t overly fussed about.