Anthony Joshua has

Anthony Joshua has a “slight edge” over Tyson Fury for their 2021 battle because defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr last year has given him a fresh hunger for victory, reckons David Haye. A contract is being drawn up for AJ and Fury to go head-to-head in an iconic all-British heavyweight showdown which would put all four belts on the line.

It is expected the pair will agree to split the purse 50-50 for the first fight with the winner then getting a larger share for the rematch.

Should Joshua come through this Saturday night’s challenge of Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev at Wembley’s SSE Arena, he will look to defend his three straps – the WBO, IBF and WBA – against WBC title-holder Fury.

Victory against Pulev, in what will be Watford-born slugger Joshua’s first fight in 12 months, would set up a historic undisputed showdown that has been a long time in the making.

And ex-British heavyweight Haye thinks the fact Joshua lost to Ruiz in June 2019, when he was knocked out in the seventh round in New York, will drive him on against the Gypsy King.

The 31-year-old got revenge on Mexican-American Ruiz in Saudi Arabia the following December but has not stepped into the ring since with his schedule being hampered by the coronavirus pandemic.

Haye knows what it takes to bounce back after he went on to become a unified cruiserweight world champion, holding three of the four belts, and a heavyweight champion after his first ever career defeat to Carl Thompson.

And he admits it “sounds crazy”, but thinks Joshua’s experience of defeat will help him against the unbeaten Fury, who is 30-0-1 as a professional.

Haye told Sky Sports News of Joshua’s loss to Ruiz: “I think that was the best thing to ever happen to Anthony Joshua.

“I think he’s going to become the fighter he was always going to be, because he’s got that taste of defeat and he doesn’t like that.

“None of us winners like that taste of defeat and if there’s anything humanly possible to get back into your winning run, no matter how hard you have to dedicate yourself, what type of sparring, what type of pain behind the scenes, you don’t want that feeling of a loss.

“It’s been a long, long time since Tyson Fury had the taste of a loss. A very, very long time. Many years. Anthony Joshua knows what it feels like recently, so I think that gives him a slight edge. It sounds crazy.

“That’s someone as powerful, as strong, as fast, as motivated as Anthony Joshua. He [AJ] will be the underdog in that fight, but write Anthony Joshua off at your peril.