Deontay Wilder has slammed the ‘hesitant’ Anthony Joshua for using a Klitschko-like approach in his rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr.
Joshua put up a clinical performance last Saturday night in Saudi Arabia, outboxing Ruiz Jr in twelve rounds, to bounce back from his stunning knockout loss last June.
Winning all scorecards, Joshua settled for a unanimous decision win against the Mexican-American to reclaim the unified heavyweight titles.
While many fans were disappointed on how the rematch turned out, Joshua defended his game plan, saying he showed the ‘sweet science of hitting and not getting hit.’
But for a knockout artist like Wilder, Joshua’s jab fest is far from impressive.
Jab-Grab-Hold
In a recent interview with The Atlantic, the power-hitter from Alabama said Joshua’s technique against Ruiz Jr was similar to Wladimir Klitschko.
“Joshua did what he had to do to get the win,” he said, per DAZN News.
“He ran around the ring and was on his bike all day. Basically, he had [Wladimir] Klitschko in the camp and he was a lot like Klitschko: that jab-grab-hold method.”
“That’s all he did tonight.”
“He was so hesitant … Joshua’s mentality was to survive.”
“The Klitschko method. You want to dominate guys, man. I’m not coming in, after losing to this guy, to just dance and grab and jab and hold.”
Some fans have predicted Wilder will knockout Joshua in a future heavyweight clash and the American champion is now itching to prove he is the division’s gold standard.
“I’m going to show the world and convince them I am the very best and that no one is close to me, especially with what’s going on in the division right now.”
“It’s a time of proving who is the best.”
Best In The World
Wilder is coming off a sensational knockout win against Luis Ortis, his 41st KO in 42 wins, and believes he is the best heavyweight boxer in the world at the moment.
“How can no one say I’m not the very best in the world now?”
“I’ve given you what you pay for each and every time, especially when we’re talking about a heavyweight bout.”
“Fans come to see knockouts. They come to see something dramatic — a body lying on the canvas, spread like it’s having birth.”
“That’s what people want to see, and that’s my mentality.”
Asked about a potential unification bout with Joshua, Wilder said that fight is never going to happen.
“I don’t think we’ll ever see a unification bout.”
“We’ll never see it, and I don’t want people to get their hopes up on it because it’ll never happen.”
(Featured Image Source: YouTube/Fight Hub TV and Instagram/Anthony Joshua)