“AJ is boxing, I think Fury is probably picking him apart,” Yarde told talkSPORT Boxing.
However, Yarde believes the outcome changes dramatically if Joshua returns to the mindset that helped him overwhelm opponents earlier in his career.
“But if AJ happens to get this rough and tough thing back where he is, he wants to fight and just let shots go, if he hurts Fury, like Usyk did, he will finish him.” Yarde said.
Yarde’s comments echo a debate that has surrounded Joshua for years. The Olympic gold medalist built his reputation on explosive knockouts but took a more measured approach after his upset loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2019.
The light heavyweight contender admitted that his opinion on a Joshua-Fury matchup has evolved over time.
“Five years ago, even six, seven years ago, I went with AJ around the time, you know, right after he fought Klitschko, and he was on this steam train,” Yarde said.
The long-discussed clash between Joshua and Fury remains one of the biggest fights available in British boxing. Joshua is scheduled to return against Kristian Prenga on July 25, while Fury is expected to resume his career later this year after announcing his return.
If both emerge victorious, calls for the heavyweight rivals to finally settle their differences inside the ring are likely to grow.
