Tyson Fury Backs Martin Over 'Raw Novice' Joshua

By Terence Dooley

World heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) has issued a stark warning to fellow Briton Anthony Joshua ahead of the 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist’s IBF title challenge to Charles Martin on April 9th.

Joshua meets Martin for Fury’s former title at London’s O2 Arena; the bookies named him as favourite to win the fight as soon as it was made, but Fury thinks it could all go wrong for the 15-0 (15) fighter.

“He's a raw novice who's got no footwork, no jab, who has no boxing ability,” he said when speaking to The Daily Telegraph. “He is a big lump and all he has got is a big punch. And he has a puncher's chance against Martin. I think he'll get caught by a big punch himself and it will be 'Goodnight Vienna'.

“I see this as a very dangerous fight for Joshua. He has only had 15 fights. Martin has had 24 [with 21 knockouts]. I see Martin winning. Unless Martin walks on to loads of shots, I don't see Joshua winning. Joshua has only had one real fight, and he nearly came undone against Dillian Whyte.”

However, the 27-year-old did conceded that a win for Joshua could set-up an all-British showdown between the two undefeated fighters. He said: “I would love to see him win the fight, because it sets up a massive fight for us. And that would be fantastic for me. Then I could toy with him.”

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