TLDR
- Lennox Lewis says the Fury-Joshua press conference was too friendly and lacked the usual hostility
- Lewis expects real aggression to emerge once both fighters enter training camp in coming weeks
- The former champion favors Fury to win based on more impressive recent performances
- Lewis believes punch accuracy will determine the winner when they fight December 11 in Cardiff
- The winner will become a three-time heavyweight champion, fighting for the vacant WBA Super title
Sources: nyfights.com | boxingnewsonline.net
Former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis says the upcoming fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua is missing something important: hostility between the two fighters.
Fury and Joshua will face each other on December 11 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The fight comes after almost ten years of failed negotiations and collapsed contracts.
The two former champions met for their first official press conference at the British Airways ARC at Olympia in west London. Instead of the usual trash talk and tension, both men smiled and showed respect for each other.
Fury called Joshua “a role model and a poster boy for British boxing.” He praised his opponent’s status as a two-time champion and Olympic gold medalist. Fury even told reporters he defends Joshua when fans criticize him on the street.
Lewis told Sky Sports that the friendly atmosphere is only temporary. He explained that the real psychological warfare will start once both fighters enter training camp.
“It’s too early, at this time [for aggro],” Lewis said. He noted that after weeks of hard training and sparring, “everyone will be touchy at that point.”
Lewis Draws From Personal Experience
Lewis knows about intense fight buildups from his own career. As a three-time champion and the last undisputed heavyweight king, he experienced plenty of mental warfare.
Fans remember his chaotic press conferences with Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. Those events often turned hostile as fight night approached.
Lewis is waiting for one fighter to break the friendly pattern first. That moment will set the real tone for the December clash, he believes.
Both fighters competed earlier this year to prepare for their showdown. Fury beat Arslanbek Makhmudov by unanimous decision on April 11. He then stopped Mariusz Wach in the seventh round on July 24.
Joshua knocked out Kristian Prenga in the second round on July 25. He recovered from two early knockdowns in that fight to get the victory.
Winner Becomes Three-Time Champion
Both men have held heavyweight titles twice before. The winner in December will become a three-time heavyweight champion.
The WBA created a vacant “Super” title for this matchup. Oleksandr Usyk vacated all his belts on June 26 to plan a final non-title career bout.
Lewis told DAZN he favors Fury to win based on recent performances. “Fury is closer but both are shadows of their former selves. I’d side with Fury,” Lewis said.
He believes Fury showed more in his two fights against Makhmudov and Wach than Joshua did recently. Lewis pointed out that Joshua fought a YouTuber in Jake Paul, then faced Prenga who knocked him down twice.
“That’s a big step up” to fight Fury next, Lewis explained.
At the press conference, Lewis also said punch accuracy will decide the fight. “For me, the most accurate puncher out of the both of them [will win],” he stated.
Lewis called Fury an accurate puncher. He said Joshua throws a great one-two combination that has caught many opponents.
Fury is 38 years old with a 36-2-1 record and 25 knockouts. Joshua is 36 years old with a 30-4 record and 27 knockouts. The fight is about ten weeks away, and Lewis expects the real aggression to appear once training camps close and media days begin.
