TODAY’S TITLISTS
ANTHONY JOSHUA
WBA, IBF & WBO champion Age: 29 Record: 22-0 (21) Next fight: Apr 13, 2019 vs TBA Stopped Johnson in two rounds in May 2015
“He has to be my No. 1. He was the first person who ever countered my jab and stopped me. Nobody ever did that to me before. His punches are fast and hard. He’s at the top of his game at the moment, and Anthony Joshua at the top of his game is some fighter.”
DEONTAY WILDER
WBC champion Age: 33 Record: 40-0 (39) Next fight: Dec 1, 2018 vs Tyson Fury Sparring partner
“I go way back with Deontay. We lived not too far away from each other, we were both single parents and we both loved boxing. On Saturdays, I would drive over to see him for sparring. That’s what you do when you love boxing. We sparred a lot of rounds. Deontay is really elusive and he throws big shots that go right through you. We will see how well Tyson Fury takes it when Deontay catches him. Steve Cunningham put Tyson down and Deontay will catch him. Tyson is very good at moving his head, but there are other big targets for Deontay to aim for. But I really can’t pick a winner out of Fury and Wilder. It’s like the Anthony Joshua-wladimir Klitschko fight. It’s too close to call.”
MANUEL CHARR
WBA secondary titlist Age: 34 Record: 31-4 (17) Next fight: TBA Outpointed Johnson over 10 rounds in April 2014
“I won that fight. They robbed me. He’s garbage. He’s trash and I think the WBA should strip him [for failing a drug test earlier this year]. I would love to get the chance to beat the hell out of him again. This time I wouldn’t get robbed because I would stop him. I nearly stopped him last time.”
TYSON FURY
Former WBA, IBF and WBO champion Age: 30 Record: 27-0 (19) Next fight: Dec 1, 2018 vs Deontay Wilder Outpointed Johnson over 12 rounds in December 2012. Also a sparring partner “He’s pretty much untouchable at times. He’s a great boxer and a great mover. If he can box 12 rounds the way he boxed 12 rounds against Wladimir Klitschko, it makes him difficult to beat. He’s so long and tall, and he can get himself in a safety zone where you can’t reach him. If he was 6ft 3ins, he would be in the danger zone, but he’s not. He’s tall and long, and he leans back from punches. He isn’t the biggest puncher, but he knows how to peck away and win rounds. Deontay will knock him out if they stand and trade, but if Tyson runs, nobody can beat him. He doesn’t punch hard and he doesn’t try to land big shots. He’s boring, but he pecks away, doesn’t get hit and wins rounds.”