Hall of Famer trainer and boxing analyst, Teddy Atlas, is firmly backing Deontay Wilder to defeat Anthony Joshua in a battle of former world champions.
Wilder has been away from the ring since last October, when he blew away Robert Helenius in a single round. The victory got Wilder back in the win column after losing back to back fights to current WBC champion Tyson Fury.
Joshua snapped a two-fight losing streak of his own back in April, with a twelve round unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin.
Joshua is slated to return to the ring in the month of August, in a potential rematch with Dillian Whyte. Should Joshua win his next fight, he aims to finalize a deal to face Wilder on a date in December in Saudi Arabia.
At the moment, it's not clear if Wilder intends to take another fight before a potential December clash with Joshua.
Because of Wilder's feared ability to score one-punch knockouts, and several recent opponents having success with landing right hands against Joshua, Atlas views the contest as being very favorable for the 'Bronze Bomber.'
“If I was backing [Joshua], I don’t know if I’d want to put him in with Wilder to be quite frank. With the kind of right hand Wilder chucks and the susceptibility [Joshua] has to getting hit with the right hand," Atlas stated on his podcast. “It’s not a knock on him, but I think Wilder would knock him out.
“Joshua’s vulnerability for the right hand is one of the reasons [I think Wilder wins]. Besides, the fact he’s made so much money. He doesn’t need to do this, that [with his money] you never [need] see him with Wilder ever.”