Anthony Joshua: Deontay Wilder Didn’t Knock Out Tyson Fury

The boxing heavyweight division looks to be in its best spot in quite some time.

WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua currently sits atop the division. He’s followed closely behind by WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. And of course, lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is still at the top. Recently, Wilder and Fury shared the ring inside Los Angeles’ Staples Center for the WBC crown.

Both men went all 12 rounds in a highly controversial contest. While most believed Fury got the better of Wilder technically, Wilder scored the only two knockdowns of the fight. The latter knockdown came in the 12th round, and very well could’ve been ruled a knockout. However, Fury miraculously got to his feet and was able to finish the contest. In the end, the judges ruled the fight a split decision draw.

Now, talk of a rematch next year is what many are expecting. But Joshua would like to get in on the mix after seeing all the hype Wilder vs. Fury was able to generate. Recently, Joshua spoke to The Sun UK and was asked for his thoughts on the match-up. In regards to Wilder’s second knockdown in the fight, which many thought was a knockout, Joshua isn’t buying that the Englishman was unconcious.

Joshua’s View

He simply believes Fury got tired and needed a few seconds to recover:

“I think he was just tired – needed that five seconds to kind of gather himself and he got up and continued. He was tired. His body gave up but his spirit didn’t. When you’re out cold, your spirit’s not intact, your body’s not intact.

“I think he just went down, tired, five seconds, and then his spirit was like: ‘I’m still here’. Then he got up and continued to fight. That’s my opinion on it, because when you get hit flush, your spirit and body disconnect.

“You’re not with it. But his spirit was still in intact it rose him up and he realised: ‘Hang on, I’m still fighting.’”