Former two division world champion David Haye is backing Anthony Joshua to beat Tyson Fury in a potential heavyweight unification in the summer.
The two champions have agreed to collide for the WBO, IBF, WBA, WBC, IBO titles in a two-fight deal.
Fury is a huge favorite to win the fight.
Most observers are backing Fury based on his undefeated record, unorthodox style and dominant wins over Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder.
Joshua was stopped by Andy Ruiz in seven rounds in June of 2019. He bounced back by dominating Ruiz over twelve rounds in their December 2019 rematch, and then knocked out mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev last December.
Haye believes the taste of defeat has made Joshua a more motivated and dangerous fighter.
“Joshua will win the fight. His loss against Andy Ruiz Jr taught him a valuable lesson about complacency and believing your own hype. I think Fury is flying so high after his victory in Las Vegas [over Deontay Wilder] and believes he is unbeatable. For good reason – if I were him, I’d think so too,” Haye said to Sky Sports.
“Joshua has tasted defeat and will have a different mindset. He is so athletically gifted, an Olympic gold medallist who has had so many world title fights, he is newer to the game and is still learning.
“I think that Fury believes he is the finished article. Whereas Joshua doesn’t – he is learning. Fury has been celebrating for a long time. This isn’t a bodybuilding competition but I like the mindset and discipline of Joshua.
“In the long term of a physical game like boxing, the dedication and nutrition of Joshua [will come out on top]. He is an underdog but I like the underdog. Joshua is physically superior. If they did any sport outside of boxing, Joshua would win.
“A boxing match is skill-based and people believe Fury’s skills supersede Joshua’s. But the skilled boxer doesn’t always win. The boxer with speed, endurance, will to win, strategy, who has trained correctly? There a million elements that go into winning a boxing match but people ignore everything except skills.”