British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has vowed to remain composed and avoid emotional decisions when he faces Tyson Fury on December 11, saying he will not repeat the mistakes Deontay Wilder made during his trilogy against the British rival.
Joshua believes discipline and patience will be crucial when the two former world heavyweight champions meet at the sold-out Principality Stadium in Cardiff, with the bout scheduled to be broadcast live worldwide on Netflix.
Fury defeated Wilder twice and drew once in their three-fight rivalry, with the American’s aggressive approach often leaving him vulnerable to the British boxer’s ability to withstand pressure and recover.
Speaking to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, Joshua said Wilder’s determination to finish Fury whenever he hurt him often resulted in unnecessary energy expenditure, allowing his opponent to recover and regain control of their encounters.
“Wilder took those fights very personally, and that could be quite exhausting, especially when you hurt someone and try to finish them,” Joshua said.
“You lose a lot of energy, and then Tyson comes back. Wilder could have gotten the job done if he was a bit more calm, cool and collected. He could have learned from that. Wilder tried to take him out of there, while Fury just managed to weather the storm and come back.”
Joshua insisted that frustration or the temptation to force an early stoppage would not dictate his strategy against Fury, stressing that he intends to maintain a clear head throughout the contest.
“I do not believe that would be me. I am going to keep a calm head,” he added.
Beyond the rivalry, Joshua has the opportunity to secure a place in heavyweight boxing history. Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, has said the World Boxing Association super heavyweight belt will be at stake in Cardiff.
Victory would make Joshua a three-time world heavyweight champion, placing him in an exclusive group that includes Muhammad Ali, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko. Evander Holyfield won the heavyweight championship four times.
The title became available after Oleksandr Usyk vacated it. Murat Gassiev, the WBA’s leading contender, had been expected to move up for the opportunity, but the anticipated Fury-Joshua showdown appears to have taken precedence.
Both Joshua and Fury have previously lost their world titles to Usyk, adding another dimension to their upcoming encounter.
Meanwhile, Warren has hinted at the possibility of heavyweight unification fights in 2027, with the winners of major title contests potentially meeting to determine the division’s leading champion.
Warren, who is also promoting the rematch between Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley for the World Boxing Organisation heavyweight title, said his stable’s position in the division could pave the way for unification bouts.
“We have got three of the four heavyweight champions on our roster, and we are going to make unification fights next year,” he said.
Joshua heads into the contest with a professional record of 30 victories, four defeats and 27 knockouts. Fury, meanwhile, has recorded 36 wins, two losses and one draw, with 25 victories by knockout.
