Deontay Wilder’s long-time boxing coach Malik Scott, who helped guide the American puncher through some of his most historic bouts, has made a bold prediction for the prospective all-British super-fight between heavyweight rivals Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury.
Joshua and Fury have been linked with one another for years but are yet to fight, despite hailing from the same country, and competing in the same division, for more than a decade. However, after exhausting other options, and after both have suffered significant setbacks of late, 2025 could finally be the year that they come to blows. And those within the industry are having their say over who could come out on top should they swap slugs any time soon.
For Scott, there is one fighter in particular who is “not what he used to be” — and that could impact the outcome.
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Tyson Fury Has Declined, Malik Scott Says
Anthony Joshua, too, has had bad nights but has shown he bounces back from these, Scott added
After Fury’s two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, the dominant Ukrainian will likely move on from that rivalry, and onto either a rematch with Daniel Dubois to once again unify all the titles, or a new challenger entirely. Joshua, meanwhile, lost to Dubois and, like Fury, finds himself further down the divisional rankings. A big bout between them could be billed as a last-chance-saloon fight for eventual world title challenges for the winner, and the winner only.
For Scott, it remains “a good fight,” even if it arrives years beyond when they were both competing in their respective primes.
When breaking down the fight for The Stomping Ground on YouTube, Scott said: “If we’re going off the last couple of fights, we have to go with Tyson. But it depends which ‘AJ’ turns up.”
“But I also know styles make fights. Tyson is not who he was three years ago.”
Usyk is the first, and only, fighter to defeat Fury. It is unknown how Fury bounces back from defeat, let alone two. Joshua, meanwhile, has bounced back from setbacks time and again. And this experience could be a difference-maker between them, according to Scott.
“To me, ‘AJ’ had a bad outing against Dubois, but I’ve seen ‘AJ’ come back from bad outings and even look impressive,” he said.
“If it would be ‘AJ’ who fought [Kubrat] Pulev, that ‘AJ’ would give anybody hell. It’s a good fight, it’s something I would look forward to.”
