Anthony Joshua has been warned that his weakening punch resistance could be brutally exposed by Tyson Fury, with former world champion Paulie Malignaggi predicting a stoppage victory for Fury when the British heavyweights meet in Cardiff.
Fury and Joshua are set to clash on December 11 in Cardiff as they look to settle their decade-long rivalry. The fight will also carry the right to become a three-time world champion after the WBA decided to put their 'Super' title on the line.
Warm-up fights raise concerns
Both fighters warmed up for the showdown with victories in July - Joshua beat Kristian Prenga while Fury defeated Mariusz Wach. Fury eased to a stoppage win, but Joshua was twice floored by the relatively unknown Prenga before coming back to stop the Albanian.
Speaking to Parimatch, Malignaggi said Joshua's punch resistance is a major worry heading into the fight.
"AJ's punch resistance is concerning. He seems to be getting hurt by guys he shouldn't be getting hurt by now," he said. "Fury isn't the biggest puncher, but he punches hard enough. He's a heavyweight, and AJ's chin was already a question mark before. It would be a concern for anybody on AJ's side. I think Fury will land. He's the quicker, more fluid guy."
Malignaggi predicts Fury stoppage
Malignaggi also pointed to Joshua's movement as a potential weakness in the matchup.
"Joshua's legs are a bit cumbersome. Fury isn't the youngest anymore, but in spots he still has good legs. I think it's a complicated fight for AJ. Based on what I saw from their last fights, I would probably say a Fury stoppage, actually. I see a Fury stoppage win."
Meanwhile, Malignaggi also believes Daniel Dubois is better than both Fury and Joshua after his second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley. Dubois retained his world title with a brutal victory over his rival in their rematch earlier this year.
Dubois touted as best English heavyweight
Malignaggi wants to see Dubois take on fellow world champion Filip Hrgovic for a second time.
"Dubois is probably the best English heavyweight, and he's cemented himself at a pretty high level internationally," he added. "The Hrgovic rematch is certainly interesting. They fought before, Hrgovic now has that win over Itauma, and he landed some good shots on Dubois when Dubois beat him. If the stage is set for a fight sold as heavyweight unification, it could be a much bigger deal."
