ANTHONY JOSHUA still has ‘so much to learn’ ahead of his blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury, according to former super-middleweight champion Steve Collins.
The long-awaited Battle of Britain edged closer to fruition this week when the pair inked a two-fight deal worth a whopping £500million.
Joshua’s team has been a subject of hot debate ever since his stunning loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019 and has been scrutinised again in the wake of this week’s announcement.
And Collins believes the Olympian has received a limited boxing ‘education’ under the tutelage of the well-respected Rob McCracken.
During an appearance on talkSPORT, Collins said: “I’m a big fan of Anthony Joshua. I think he is lovely, a great man.
“He is great for boxing, but my problem is there is so much more he can learn. He hasn’t had the education in boxing.
“He has had one coach – a very good coach – but all you know is what that coach taught him.
“There is so much more he needs to learn, and hasn’t learned yet.”
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Fury, on the other hand, has had multiple coaches down the years, including the legendary Emmanuel Steward.
And Collins reckons the lessons The Gypsy King has learned from different coaches will help him bosh Josh.
The Irishman, 56, continued: “And then I look at Fury, okay?
“I look at a man who is 6ft 9ins and moves like a middleweight, I mean, he is exceptional.
“How can a heavyweight be as mobile and as agile?
“Plus he is brave, tough and he can take a good shot and come back. I think he is so hard to beat.
“For me, he is the man who is going to win the fight.”
Despite the delay in finalising a date and venue for Joshua vs Fury, Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn is confident the fight will still take place in the summer.
He told talkSPORT: “That’s 100 per cent the focus.
“We know it’s a difficult world at the moment, we know there’s travel restrictions, we know global economies are crumbling, but ultimately that’s the date of the fight.
“People are talking about, ‘Some people might prefer this fight to take place in September/October/November.’
“Well, ‘some people’ aren’t us. We want Fury against AJ, two fights this year.
“This is what we’ve signed up to, this is what we’re talking to all the relevant sites and approaches that we’ve had is a two-fight agreement, one in June/July, one in November/December.”
