EDDIE HEARN wouldn’t risk putting Anthony Joshua within “ten feet” of Joe Joyce at this stage of his career, it’s been claimed.
A domestic dust-up with his former sparring partner is a possibility for Joshua’s next outing following his consecutive defeats to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk.
But boxing legend Teddy Atlas believes Joyce’s “concussive” power will put Joshua and Hearn off the tasty tussle.
During a recent episode of his The Fight podcast, the former trainer said: “There is no way on God’s Earth – no way – that Joshua and his promoter are getting within.
“They wouldn’t get within a ten-foot pole of Joyce in that boxing ring. No way.”
WBC heavyweight king Tyson Fury has tipped stablemate Joyce to run through Joshua should the fight come to fruition.
He told iFL TV: “I think so, I think he [Joyce] wipes the floor with Joshua anyway.”
Joyce catapulted himself into the upper echelons of the division in September with a sensational 11th-round TKO victory over former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker.
And Atlas, the former trainer of Mike Tyson, has been thoroughly impressed by what he’s seen of the Juggernaut since he turned pro.
He said: “I’ve been saying this guy’s a player. This guy’s got a chin of granite.
“He reminds me of a younger Foreman – although I gotta be careful with that because he is 38 years old.
“But Joyce reminds me of George Foreman when he was in his first life before the comeback.
“Just a big guy, a ponderous puncher, a concussive puncher.
“Not a snappy puncher … just a blunting type puncher that does damage.
“He’s big. He’s relentless. As I said, he’s got a great heart, great chin so far.
“I’ve been calling for this guy to be in there instead of some of the other guys to get the shot.”
Joshua, 33, is set to return to the ring in late March – although an opponent for his comeback fight has yet to be finalised.
Joyce, meanwhile, is hoping to return to action in March also.
