Body language expert Inbaal Honigman believes Anthony
Joshua appeared more composed than Tyson Fury
during their first pre-fight faceoff.
Joshua and Fury are set to clash on Dec. 11 at Principality Stadium
in Cardiff, Wales. The two came face-to-face for the first time
ahead of their fight at a press conference Wednesday at Olympia
Exhibition Center in London. Honigman offered her interpretation of
the body language displayed by Joshua and Fury.
Body language expert Inbaal Honigman points to several Tyson
Fury behaviors during his first Anthony Joshua faceoff
According to Honigman, both Fury and Joshua initially appeared
confident while posing side by side. However, she interpreted
changes in Fury's behavior during the faceoff as possible signs of
nervousness or insecurity. Honigman pointed to Fury standing on the
tips of his toes, flexing his fingers and chewing while speaking as
examples.
By comparison, Honigman characterized Joshua as calm and composed.
Based on those observations, she believes Joshua is mentally better
prepared for the fight and has a better chance of winning.
“When they pose side by side, both men appear confident, standing
in a solid stance, legs strong, shoulders square, feet
shoulder-width apart — this ‘planted’ stance indicates a
self-assured attitude,†Honigman said. “But Fury then engages in
some childlike behavior, standing on the tips of his toes and being
playful, which shows that he’s a little less secure than Joshua.
Fury’s fingers flex a bit, which is a sign of nerves — unlike
Joshua, who is in complete control over his physical body, which is
a sign that he’s mentally on top, too. Fury is seen to be chewing
while he talks — perhaps a bit of gum, perhaps just a nervous,
tense jaw. While Joshua’s smile remains calm and unmoving. Fury’s
eyes dart from side to side when he talks about AJ, showing that
he’s nervous. AJ’s peaceful facial expression is a sign that he is
not afraid at all. Joshua’s serenity means that he’s better
prepared for the match than Fury is and has a better chance of
winning.â€
Fury (36-2) defeated Arslanbek Makhmudov in April to rebound from
back-to-back losses against Oleksandr Usyk in 2024. “The Gypsy
King†also won his tune-up fight against Mariusz Wach in July.
Meanwhile, Joshua (30-4) knocked out Jake Paul
last year to rebound from a knockout loss against Daniel
Dubois. Joshua survived two early knockdowns in his tune-up
fight against Kristian Prenga before scoring a second-round
knockout in July.