By Keith Idec

Anthony Joshua respects Deontay Wilder’s power.

As a fighter who has knocked out each of his 20 professional opponents, the unbeaten IBF/IBO/WBA heavyweight champion understands that producing 39 knockouts in 40 fights means your power is legitimate, even if you haven’t fought an especially high level of opposition.

The reason, however, that Joshua is convinced Tyson Fury would present a more difficult fight for him than Wilder is because Joshua feels Wilder is dangerous with is vaunted right hand, yet not much else.

Joshua stated during an interview with Sky Sports that taking away Wilder’s right hand in their much-anticipated showdown would diminish Wilder’s confidence and enable him to win.

“Wilder, I think would be next [after Fury], and just for the sheer fact that his record proves he has a powerful punch,” Joshua said.

“But his powerful punch doesn’t come with an uppercut, it doesn’t come with a peached left hook. It just comes with a straight right hand. So you eliminate one or two of his main weapons and I think, you know, you kind of chip the tree down with Wilder. And I think he starts losing his confidence.”

Wilder wants to prove Joshua wrong as soon as possible, but the undefeated heavyweight champions could be headed in different directions for their next fights.

The 32-year-old Wilder, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, retained his WBC title last Saturday when he knocked out Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz (28-1, 24 KOs, 2 NC) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The 28-year-old Joshua, of Watford, England, will return at the end of the month when he takes on WBO champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs), of Auckland, New Zealand, in a partial unification fight March 31 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

England’s Fury (25-0, 18 KOs) also could get a shot at Joshua before Wilder because a bout between the former IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion and the immensely popular Joshua would do huge business in the United Kingdom.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.