There are some big heavyweight fights on the horizon. Looking at Antony Joshua against Alexander Povetkin on September 22, I don’t believe this is a banana skin for Joshua. I don’t think Povetkin is big enough to trouble AJ, and believe Anthony will take him out any time after four rounds. It could go eight rounds or so, but I think it’s an easy option that AJ’s team have taken. The Wilder fight was there to be made, and they found a way not to make it. That fight needs to happen to cement AJ’s credibility. You obviously have to commend Tyson Fury for taking the Wilder fight but there’s no reason that Wilder and Joshua shouldn’t be fighting.
Povetkin is a very winnable fight for AJ and they’re milking it. Don’t get me wrong, Povetkin is a good fighter, I don’t want to misconceive anybody. He would trouble lots of the top heavyweights out there, but Joshua should be fighting the very best, and at the moment that’s Wilder. The Wilder fight was on the table, Wilder was desperate for it, and I’m very disappointed it’s not happening. Povetkin is a credible opponent but, for me, not credible enough.
I saw some of the action when Povetkin fought David Price in his last fight. Price is a huge puncher, but defensively he’s flaky. So, Price was tailor-made for Povetkin, and once he started unloading and clipped him then Price goes into a shell and unravels. Povetkin won’t get that against Joshua. For me, Povetkin against Wilder, Tyson Fury, Hughie Fury or AJ – he’s on the losing side against any of them.
I’m maybe a bit biased but I think Hughie Fury is the next of the best and could be the future of the heavyweights. He has a big ask in Bulgaria against Kubrat Pulev on October 27, but I admire him for travelling over there, and I’ll be there to watch it. I really don’t think there’s another current heavyweight who moves like Hughie, and he’s now starting to plant his feet. I’m in his corner and backing him all the way. He’s the one to watch and the best of the crop of young British heavyweights out there. He does have a tough task against Pulev, but I believe he can do it, and you have to applaud him, and his dad Peter, for taking the test.
It’s early days for the likes of Daniel Dubois, Joe Joyce and Nathan Gorman, but you have to say the British heavyweight division is the most exciting it’s been for decades. The potential of these young fighters is growing and hopefully there’ll be some great dust-ups between them in the next few years. It gives me a buzz and, although I don’t really like the Joshua vs Povetkin fight, I’ll be paying to watch it because I’m a boxing fan.
I don’t have a heavyweight in my stable at the moment, although there’s one turning pro next month who I might get involved with from Scotland, so we’ll see on that one. I’m currently working with former heavyweight Richard Towers and ex-pro Jon Fewkes, and I have businessman Steve Crump on board who’s a gem and so supportive, and together I believe that we’ll produce some more champions, and hopefully one will be a star heavyweight.
