Joshua vs Martin prediction: Deontay Wilder makes reluctant pick?

Is it really a prediction?

WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35KOs) recently told Sky Sports he's picking Charles Martin (23-0-1, 21KOs), his IBF peer, to successfully defend his title this weekend when the latter faces Olympic gold medal winner Anthony Joshua (15-0, 15KOs) at O2 Arena in London.

Martin, of course, is a fairly decent underdog and it seems Wilder may have picked him for emotional or sentimental reasons.

"Of course I am going to go with my fellow countryman," Wilder told Sky Sports.

"I feel Anthony Joshua hasn't fought a top fighter like this yet. He [Martin] is going to be awkward. He's a southpaw and that is a big thing because I don't think Joshua has faced a southpaw yet, so he is going to find he is very, very awkward - both ways.

"This guy has as much height and reach as I do but he is awkward on top of that. I think it's going to be a good fight and I am looking forward to seeing what happens and I want to see the result."

"I make it a 50-50 - this is too close a fight to call. If Joshua wins he's definitely the man in England, so that is a big prize for him to go with it."

Wilder will fly to Russia to face Olympic gold medal winner and former WBA champion Alexander Povetkin (30-1, 22KO), the former's mandatory challenger, in May.