What’s the old adage about you never see a poor bookmaker?
The bookies rarely get it wrong and they have Anthony Joshua at incredibly short odds for his heavyweight unification showdown with Joseph Parker.
And our poll of the North-East’s fight figures backs up the bookies verdict.
When punch-lines polled last month’s Chris Eubank-George Groves WSS showdown the pundits were split 50-50.
Not so this time, only one breaks ranks from an AJ clean sweep and goes with the WBO champ, while another sits on the fence!
Read on and see what the experts predict.
Lewis Ritson: JOSHUA, 2-4 rounds, easy work for Anthony
Neil Fannan: JOSHUA, stoppage, rounds 9-12
Bradley Saunders: JOSHUA, stoppage. I can’t look past Anthony Joshua, looks too big. For me, Joshua rules the heavyweight division for the next decade, though I do like the look of Joe Joyce
Tommy Ward: JOSHUA, stoppage, inside 8 rounds
Mal Gates: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 8. When Parker slows, AJ will walk him down
Peter Cope Jnr: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 5
Steve Wraith: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 6. AJ looks focused this time around and can see him winning by KO in the sixth
Kevin Bennett: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 9: I think Parker will trouble AJ with his speed and work-rate early but I think Joshua
Davey Ritson: JOSHUA, stoppage, rounds 6-7
Alan Temple : JOSHUA, stoppage, rounds 7-8. I see Joshua having to ride out a few storms early on but after mid-way AJ will get the stoppage
Glenn Foot: JOSHUA, stoppage. Somewhere around 6-8
Mark Clauzel: JOSHUA, stoppage. I watched Parker against Takam and while he’s fit, I didn’t really see where he hurt him or troubled him the way Joshua did. I think he’s going tonne shocked when AJ lands.
Tom Whitfield: JOSHUA, stoppage, mid to late rounds
Darren Surtees: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 4
Imran Naeem: JOSHUA, stoppage, late on or close points. I think this is the toughest fight for Joshua to date. Parker is tough, motivated and is a very proud warrior. I think his footwork, movement and speed will give Anthony problems early on but Joshua will come into his own in the middle rounds and will either force a late stoppage or win a close points decision.
Peter Cope Snr: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 7-ish
Dave Garside: JOSHUA, stoppage, rounds 6-9
Nigel Wright: PARKER, stoppage 8-10. I want Joshua to win and he probably will, but I have a feeling Parker is fitter and has a better stamina and will take AJ around 8-10 when Joshua has gassed, but I sometimes get the big fights wrong!
Chris Burton: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 6
Luke Cope: JOSHUA, stoppage, middle rounds. I think Joshua will get him in the middle rounds I think the occasion might get to Parker he won’t of seen nothing like it
Shaun Farmer: JOSHUA, stoppage, rounds 6-8, Parker will hit and move but eventually, he’ll get stopped.
Sam Menzies: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 10
Adam Cope: JOSHUA, stoppage, rounds 3-5. Joshua will take a look for a round or two and soften him up before getting him out of there. I don’t think Parker will have the strength to keep Joshua off him
Paul Gidney: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 7
Anth Hardy: JOSHUA, stoppage, rounds 6. For me, this looks like Joshua’s biggest challenge, not because of Parker’s handspeed but because of his Maori mentality. He’s looked super-cool in the build up and looks like he’s here to do a job. That said, I’m going for AJ to stop him in the 6th. I’m expecting a good, hard fight
Jordan Ellison: JOSHUA, stoppage, round 4-6
Michael Hunter: JOSHUA, wide points. It could be a hard fight for AJ but expect a wide points verdict with Parker’s great hand speed holding him in the fight
Tom Hill: ON THE FENCE. I’m sitting on the fence a bit, it goes one of two ways for me, Joshua early to middle rounds but if it goes past the first half of the fight I’m leaning towards Parker on points.
Jon Lewis Dickinson: JOSHUA inside 6 rounds
Picture: Lawrence Lustig/ Matchroom
