Frank Warren is convinced Tyson Fury stops Anthony Joshua inside the distance, pinpointing AJ’s defensive lapses during his own offensive bursts as the decisive flaw.

Fury’s timing and counterpunching remain central to Warren’s prediction. The promoter views the dynamic much like he viewed Daniel Dubois’s upset win over Joshua, even while admitting neither man is operating at their athletic peak.

“Styles make fights. I believe the same as I believed Daniel, when he fought AJ, he would knock him out and beat him. I think Tyson would do the same thing,” Warren said to Sky Sports Boxing. “I just feel that Tyson has his number, in my opinion. Maybe wrong. The one thing about AJ, as we all know, he can whack.”

Warren’s logic involves the split second Joshua commits to his combinations. While Joshua’s power creates danger whenever he fires, his delayed guard gives an elite counterpuncher clear targets before his hands return home.

“When he throws his shots, he leaves himself very vulnerable, and Tyson’s a good counterpuncher,” Warren added.

Capitalizing on those windows requires sharp reflexes, something that naturally diminishes with age. Warren admitted the bout will look different than it would have years ago, predicting a tighter, less mobile collision where neither heavyweight retreats.

“I think they’ll both be a little bit slower than they were,” Warren said. “I think it’ll be very exciting whilst it lasts.”

Warren dresses it up with complex talk about technical openings and counter angles, but the fundamental flaw is Joshua’s punch resistance. Once a heavyweight’s chin cracks, no amount of technical adjustment can compensate for it.

The warning signs were impossible to miss against Kristian Prenga. Surviving Dubois is one thing because Daniel hits with concussive force, but getting buzzed and nearly closed out by a fringe guy like Prenga signals that Joshua’s internal alarm system is permanently compromised. Every time clean contact lands, his legs betray him immediately.

Fury does not possess one-punch power, yet that makes little difference when the target crumples under ordinary pressure. With his towering frame and natural bulk, Fury merely needs to absorb the initial storm, step into the pocket, and let his hands go until something connects flush. A clean tap on a ruined chin does the exact same job as an explosive shot.