Coldwell: Joshua Should Face Parker First, Then Wilder

Veteran trainer Dave Coldwell believes IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (19-0, 19 KOs) should first unify with WBO champion Joseph Parker - and then face WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) for all the marbles.

Joshua is back this Saturday night in Cardiff, when he defends his titles against late replacement Carlos Takam.

Parker will be back in the ring in early 2018, but Wilder returns next Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn - and defends his title in a rematch with Bermane Stiverne.

If Joshua faces Parker next - and removes him of the WBO title - Coldwell feels that it will make the Wilder fight a lot bigger.

“I think the logical next step is Joseph Parker, he’s been making a lot of noise, he won the WBO title, he’s come over and beaten a Brit in Hughie Fury all be it controversially, but he’s a commodity he’s known over here, and he also wants to fight over here. He’s had enough of boxing in New Zealand where he’s in a little pond; he wants to get out into the big ocean and right now Anthony Joshua is the biggest name in boxing," Coldwell told Betsafe.

“Deontay Wilder has his WBC, if AJ beats Parker he’s added his WBO and if you keep all the belts together you’ve got a massive unification fight. Parker first then a huge huge showdown with Deontay Wilder which would be an absolute blockbuster”

Takam entered the fight with Joshua on twelve days notice. He stepped in after mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev withdrew with a severe should injury.

Coldwell respects the ability of Takam and views him as a tough opponent. He believes the boxer will be able to take Joshua rounds and possibly present some problems with the right strategy in place.

The respected trainer expects Joshua to close the show between rounds seven and nine.

“Styles make fights, and Takam is completely different to what Pulev was, in stature and perhaps in work rate as well, he’s got a good engine on him, he will look to get on AJ’s chest, put his head low perhaps put his head underneath AJ’s chin and give AJ problems he’s not really had before, nobody’s really managed to get on his chest before as a professional, if he can’t keep Takam off him and it goes a few rounds, this will be interesting," Coldwell said.

“Carlos Takam is a very tough fighter, people are going to underestimate him. He keeps himself in shape all the time, great physical specimen, he’s got a great engine. He isn’t the one punch dynamite knock out artist, he wears you down and he can punch hard enough to cause problems.”

“I think it’ll go longer than 4 rounds Takam is very very tough, he likes to move his head, drop down low. Joshua is a big man and he’s going to be punching downwards now.  That being said I do think he will stop him, I think it’s the accumulation of punches and perhaps I think it’ll be between 7 and 9 rounds”

Read the betsafe.com interview with David Coldwell, including how AJ will stop Takam