Boxing legend Teddy Atlas has predicted that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will both emerge victorious from their respective warm-up fights this week, keeping their long-awaited showdown on schedule for later this year.
Joshua returns to the ring on Saturday night in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, against Kristian Prenga, while Fury faces Mariusz Wach behind closed doors in Thailand. Atlas described both fights as 'foregone conclusions', adding that he expects the heavyweight icons to 'wipe the floor' with their opponents.
Speaking to CanadaCasino, Atlas said: 'I think the warm-up fights are pretty much foregone conclusions. I'm not knocking anyone who gets in the ring, but in a practical sense, they are foregone conclusions.' He noted that Wach is 46 years old and has been knocked out five times.
However, Atlas expressed caution over Joshua's mental state following his recent car crash, saying: 'We don't know where Joshua is emotionally coming off that near-fatal car accident. We don't know how that has impacted him.' Despite this, he believes Joshua should still win, possibly inside two rounds if he is in a 'halfway decent place'.
Atlas also argued that the fight between Fury and Joshua has come too late in their careers, calling it a 'money grab' after both suffered recent defeats. He compared it to the Ali-Frazier 'Thrilla in Manila', which came late but still delivered due to the fighters' character and determination.
The pair finally agreed to meet earlier this year and are expected to settle their decade-long feud in November, provided both come through their tune-up fights unscathed.
