Malik Scott believes it's a great time for Anthony Joshua to fight Tyson Fury
Malik Scott, trainer of Deontay Wilder, spoke to Fair Betting Sites about his thoughts on the potential all-British showdown between Tyson Tury and Anthony Joshua.
The retired boxer turned trainer heaped respect upon AJ for accepting the 60/40 offer from Fury, and believes AJ can win if he attacks ‘arrogant’ Fury’s foundational, positioning and vulnerable flaws.
He also claims Fury is more vulnerable than he’s ever been and anyone would be crazy to underestimate Anthony Joshua's chanced against him.
Scott, 41 from Philadelphia, operated as a professional boxer between 2000-2016, losing just three times in 42 bouts, and has been training Deontay Wilder since 2020.
Here's what the 'Odd Man' had to say:
You have to respect AJ for accepting any offer from Fury, he believes he can beat him
"It's a great time for AJ to take the Fury fight. I believe AJ is in a mindset that he has something to prove. He wants to get back up on the horse. He wants to go again. Tyson and him have always wanted to fight each other, the big question, is it really going to happen? I mean, nowadays we're just in the place where there is so much business and people are so selfish and everyone wants to be greedy. But what I like the most and what you have to give AJ credit for is he said whatever deal that they're offering. You have to respect that, absolutely. He said whatever deal they offer me, I'll take. He believes he can beat Tyson Fury. I believe AJ believes he can beat Tyson Fury."
AJ can win this fight if he attacks ‘arrogant’ Fury’s foundational, positioning and vulnerable flaws
“I really can't say [who wins]. I can't say because if you go off of the last fight, stylistically, Fury and Usyk have a different style. I can tell you who I would give the momentum to. You have to give the momentum to Tyson Fury. It's only right.
“Now if AJ is intelligent enough and is willing to be physical enough, he could throw a monkey wrench in that, if he's willing to attack Tyson Fury's flaws; foundational flaws, hand positioning floors, vulnerable flaws – where he takes his opponent for granted – then AJ could cause some trouble. Tyson Fury is a very intelligent-arrogant fighter. He pours his arrogance on guys, a lot of times he beats guys mentally. If you don't fall for that and you stick with your game plan and you're willing to run through him the right way, not just from an emotional standpoint, but the right way. Then I believe you could give him trouble. The right way to handle him is attacking his mistakes."
Fury is more vulnerable than he’s ever been and you’d be crazy to underestimate AJ
“It's a tough job for AJ but in my opinion, he has a pedigree, he has a gold medal, he has ability. AJ can punch, he's a strong kid. He's big. It can almost come across, when you think about all those attributes, like, hold up, this is Anthony Joshua. Let's back up. How could he not win? I think personally the people who are giving him no shot at all are crazy. I think people who are giving AJ no shot at all – that's blasphemous. I do not agree with that at all.
“Very tough fight and when I say tough, I mean very tough to decide who I think will win. And most people will say, well, how is it tough? Fury's been on fire. He's been smoking everybody. Yeah, but he's also more vulnerable than he's ever been. Fury also gives you an opportunity to hit him more than he ever did too, and in the heavyweight division, I just can't have full confidence in someone that gives you an opportunity to hit them, I just can't do that. He said it himself, he's very vulnerable. He's very vulnerable as a fighter. But that's what makes him exciting as well."
Tyson Fury’s streak can only last so long, Wilder almost got him in the fourth
“With Fury giving you opportunities, that's him taking the opposition for granted. That's why my prediction was, you know, I thought Wilder would knock him out inside of five rounds. And my prediction almost came true because in the fourth round we had him down. That happened because tell me one time you’ve ever seen Tyson Fury walk to somebody straight with his hands like this and just walk forward with his shoulder squared? It doesn't happen. But when he thinks he's in control, he comes out of himself and becomes a little bit more vulnerable. And I believed that if he did that with us, Deontay would be able to strike and keep him down. It almost happened. It didn't, credit to Fury. He got up and continued on to do what he did. But I believe you give someone like Anthony Joshua or Deontay Wilder opportunities to hit you over and over and over and over, I think that [unbeaten run] can only last so long. But then again, this is Tyson Fury. He's made us all wrong so many times. And that's the exciting part about him as well."
