Anthony Joshua already has the edge over Tyson Fury, according to body language expert Darren Stanton. Joshua and Fury faced off earlier this week ahead of their long-awaited heavyweight showdown in Cardiff on December 11, but had the chance to size each other up during their press conference in London.
Stanton: Tame press conference could be Joshua's first victory
Stanton told OLBG: "Such a tame press conference could be Joshua’s first victory over Fury in this fight. Even Tyson’s little moment at the traditional face off, where he gets on his tip-toes, that’s classic Tyson Fury. He’s trying to undermine Joshua, intimidate him, in a tongue-in-cheek way that he does, but Joshua didn’t take the bait, and it’s interesting how they both adopted the same stance as they turned to the flash bulbs and the crowd."
"They matched, mirrored each other and their postures, and I think that was unconscious, both making these power gestures with their fists, conveying resilience and strength. Again, typical stuff you’d expect from fighters, but the question is who was leading who? I don’t think that moment was staged, and I think the manner in which Joshua evaded Fury’s little moment of mischief was telling. It means there is a natural trust and connection there between them."
Fury's lack of atmosphere could be to his detriment
Stanton added: "Fury is at his best when there’s an atmosphere he can generate or latch onto, and there was none of that here. It almost felt like a press conference for an exhibition match between two old friends. There isn’t that hatred or contempt or needle for Fury to work, and that could be to his detriment. Neither man is underestimating the other but Joshua looks ahead, at least when it comes to the mind games."
Stanton also believes Joshua has worked out how to deal with Fury's mental warfare. "Joshua may already have the perfect antidote to Fury and his mind games," he said. "The thing about Joshua, first of all, is that he started off as a very humble guy. He wasn’t your stereotypical kind of boxer, and so when it came to weigh-ins and other appearances, he didn’t show the sort of arrogance we usually expect from top level fighters."
Joshua's evolution as a fighter
"I remember before he faced Wladimir Klitschko, he preferred to face the audience rather than facing Klitschko, and it was almost like he wanted it to be an audience participation event. He was more into connecting with the people at the event than facing down his opponent."
"But then we saw Joshua change over the years, and it was like he shrugged off a lot of that humility and developed a bit of bravado and tried to become this showman, and I’m not sure it really suited him. We still see a bit of that at this press conference, wearing sunglasses inside on a dark stage and this desire to project an image of being cool and unbothered."
"I don’t see arrogance in Joshua. I think he’s been on a journey and learned from his failures. I see a self-confidence in how he’s presenting himself at this press conference. Joshua is no longer humble but he has evolved as a person, and as a fighter."
