Dereck Chisora, who will fight Kubrat Pulev for the vacant European heavyweight title (date and venue still TBA) is sure he and Anthony Joshua will still meet down the line in a big match-up that “will always be there.” Chisora will be one of the interested observers of the Charles Martin-Joshua IBF title fight on April 9th, and “Del Boy” gave his pre-fight prediction when speaking with Sky Sports.
“It’s always going to be there,” Chisora said of a showdown with Joshua. “When he wins (against Martin) he’s going to ask to fight me or David Haye. It’s always going to be there. It’s a fight none of us can hide away from. Every fight in the heavyweight game is a 50-50 fight. It’s all about who wants it more in that split second – that is it. Charles Martin and AJ, it’s about who wants it more. Charles Martin has tasted the good life, he wants the good life, and no-one wants to lose that. We’re all trying to get to the top. AJ is ready for it. I know what his [Martin’s] game-plan is: he’s going to try and box AJ the first two to 4 rounds and try and take it to the deep end, which might be harder for AJ. But AJ has got the first two rounds and he’ll knock him out if he wants to.”
If Joshua does make short work of Martin, and becomes a “world” champion, he will be able to move on and defend the belt in a voluntary defence. That’s where the likes of Chisora, or Haye, or maybe even Tyson Fury could come in. The big, big fights await Joshua if he can topple Martin and a first defence at home would be a natural. Indeed, Joshua has yet to fight outside of the UK as a pro. The big American fights, in the U.S, will be part of the plan for the future.
But are the experts, Chisora amongst them, who pick Joshua to win a relatively straightforward fight against Martin about to be proven wrong. Martin is the underdog entering the April 9th fight, but the fight might well prove interesting if Martin is able to extend Joshua into the later rounds. How will Joshua’s stamina hold up? Previously only taken into the 7th-round, the muscular contender might have a tough time in the championship rounds.
Some good judges have Martin-Joshua as a 50-50-fight after all.
