Joshua bids to add the WBO title currently in the possession of Joseph Parker to his WBA, IBF and IBO versions on Saturday night before a potentially money-spinning battle with WBC champion Wilder.
Should they eventually trade blows, Thomas says he’s giving Wilder the edge.
“I gotta go with Wilder. Wilder, outside of knowing he’s got a great right hand, he’s gotten hit, gone down and gotten back up,” Thomas told SiriusXM Boxing. “This fight that he had with [Ortiz] – that was a good fight. What’s happening now is that Wilder will end up with a jab that will thread a needle.
“The experience that he got in that fight will give him the tenacity to really show the experience that he’s gained. I’m not taking nothing away from Joshua but I don’t know – there’s just something about [Wilder] – he’s got the style, he doesn’t care, he’s real flamboyant, fired up … I can really appreciate him.”
Wilder has called on Joshua to agree a fight in 2018, although it’s not fully understood as to whether the encounter is actually on the cards.
Mandatory obligations, along with Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn’s desire to rematch Dillian Whyte are a key factor, whilst several other names are in the frame.
Hearn has already named Jarrell Miller as a possibility, whilst Kubrat Pulev and Alexander Povetkin are both said to be on the shortlist for Joshua this year.
At the Fights (boxing) airs Mondays and Fridays from 6-8p ET on the first and only nationally-broadcast combat radio channel, SiriusXM RUSH 93.
The show is hosted by former New York State athletic commissioner Randy Gordon and former #1-ranked Heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney.
