Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder should lead a series of UK vs US heavyweight fights, says Richard Torrez

Posted by Admin December 4, 2024 Sports

There should be a series of transatlantic heavyweight clashes, starting with Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder, says Richard Torrez.

US Olympic silver medallist Torrez wants to see British and American heavyweights fighting to further ignite the division.

“I still want to see Wilder versus AJ, I still want to see some of those big guys go at it,” the Californian told Sky Sports. “We still want to see all of those fights happen. They will still be entertaining fights.

“You put a big heavyweight versus another big heavyweight – that’s going to be fireworks.”

Torrez is an ambitious American prospect, who wants to test himself against European fighters.

“It’s going to be UK versus US pretty soon. I think a lot of these guys are showing their stuff,” Torrez said.

“I think they’re putting on the scene over on the European side and I feel like once some of us jump the pond to head over I think it’s going to be a really cool and active scene for the up and comers.

“It’s building up and I’m really excited to see where we go with heavyweight boxing.”

Torrez returns to action this weekend when he fights on the undercard of Emanual Navarrete’s world title rematch with Oscar Valdez, live on Sky Sports Main Event at 1.30am on Sunday morning.

No opponent has gone the distance with him yet in Torrez’s 11 bout pro career, though his last victory saw Joey Dawejko disqualified rather than stopped.

“I wish I had a couple more rounds. I really do. I think that the way the fight was going I was going to be able to put it on him a little bit more,” Torrez said.

Clarke defeat ‘tough to watch’

Torrez intends to continue his rise up the heavyweight ranks, but knows the pro sport can be dangerous even for an Olympic medallist.

He saw Fabio Wardley take out Frazer Clarke, who won a bronze at the Tokyo Games. “Frazer’s my Olympic ‘team-mate,’ I used to spar with him all the time,” he said. “That was tough to watch. It was a good contest. Fabio did his job.

“Personally I wish the ref had separated them when Frazer turned. I kind of wish that would have happened. It was a great fight. That guy showed his power, what he could accomplish against an Olympian.”

Torrez’s Top Rank promotional stablemate, and former amateur opponent, Jared Anderson also met defeat relatively early in his career when Martin Bakole stopped him in August.

“I don’t knock Jared for doing what he did. If I got that opportunity, I’d be jumping at the bit to take it as well,” Torrez said.

“I feel like as a fighter you have to feel and understand and believe fully that you can take on anyone and I think that’s what happened with Jared.

“I think that’s just the fighter mentality.”

‘Don’t count out Fury’

Every heavyweight, and the whole of the boxing world, will be watching Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk for the unified WBO, WBC and WBO championships.

Torrez, a southpaw and a relatively small heavyweight like Usyk, tips the Ukrainian to beat Fury again in their second fight.

“I favour Usyk a little bit more, just because he has the game plan now. He knows what it takes to win,” Torrez said.

“I think Usyk has done a really good job of nullifying some of those heavyweights. Just the movement, the feints and getting inside and not letting them sit down and throw.

“But I feel like people are thinking that Usyk demolished Tyson. It was a close fight, it was within two rounds. It was active it was competitive. I think if Tyson Fury can just keep him at bay a little bit more and if he can do something, to either use more feints, or maybe just keep that jab hand out … the big thing is you can’t count Tyson out.

“I’m excited for the fight. I am favouring Usyk a little bit more.

“But I’m not counting out the big man.”