Teddy Atlas is backing Tyson Fury to defeat Anthony Joshua in their £200m heavyweight fight

Atlas believes Joshua could have ‘another blackout’ like he did when he lost to Andy Ruiz Jr

Atlas, who helped train Mike Tyson during the early days of his career, is backing Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in the early 2000s because he has ‘a better chin’ and ‘can do more things’ than Joshua.

Speaking on The Fight with Teddy Atlas podcast, the 64-year-old said: ‘I think Fury could stop him.

‘I like AJ, he’s a good fighter, he’s got good talent, he’s had a great comeback. I like all that.

‘I’m not going to say he has a China chin, I’m not going to say that. But, I’m gonna say Fury has a better chin.

‘And I’m going to say he’s been to dark places when he got stopped by Ruiz. He being Joshua. He went to dark places.

AJ bounced back by beating Ruiz Jr before successfully defending them against Kubrat Pulev

Atlas praised AJ’s ‘comeback’ but says he could be dragged back into a dark place again

‘Now he found a light and he lit the room up and he’s back into a place that’s lit. I just don’t think he’s that far away from a power shortage.

‘I think there could be a blackout again, where his confidence [goes].

‘When I say the electricity, the light, I attach it to confidence, belief, mental strength and durability.

‘I think that a blackout could happen in that generator of his again. He’s not far from removed from being taken back to no lights.

‘So I’m going with Fury.’

The Hall-of-Fame coach added: ‘And Fury, all the things he can do in the ring.

The ex-coach of Mike Tyson said AJ is a big puncher and refused to rule him out completely

But is going with Fury to win as he has shown he ‘has a better chin and is more versatile’

‘He showed me he can go get you now and he can box and pot shot and move.

‘So I’m going to go with [Fury]. Joshua can punch, Joshua’s a banger. He gets into position, but he’s going to have to get into that position.

‘Because Fury is more versatile, Fury has more say because he can do more things.

‘He can control the outside if he wants and not make it so easy for Joshua to get into his geography so to speak, which I like to talk about.

‘But, it’s going to be a humongous fight.’