Anthony Joshua versus Deontay Wilder may just be the most intriguing match-up in the sport that wouldn’t be for a world title.
The two heavyweights seem to have finally agreed that it’s the right time to face off after the years of a unification of the belts being possible.
Now, both with losses to the current champions, fans were promised it would happen this year. A shift in the boxing landscape in Saudi Arabia means that is now not the case.
Speaking to Boxing King Media, Hall of Fame fighter Barry McGuigan said that it was good – at least from Anthony Joshua’s career point of view – that the fight talks have taken a hit.
“It’s disappointing, but if I’m managing Anthony Joshua I wouldn’t go near Wilder. Wilder has got tremendous power. I know he’s vulnerable and he’s been stopped and all of that sort of stuff by Fury, he has the sort of punch that he can hit you from the back of the room and knock your head off.
Why would you take the risk of that? I don’t think it’s a bad idea to avoid it, certainly at this stage. If I were him I’d be wanting to win the world title again, so either fight Fury or fight Usyk again.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn tells Boxing Social that the hard-hitting American is still very much the target for his charge, even despite the task of now finding a new site. He is still open to ‘AJ’ fighting this December if the fight can’t be finalised soon.
As for Wilder, it looks like he’ll remain inactive until he gets his hands on Joshua. Talk of a fight in the meantime with Andy Ruiz Jr has fallen apart due to a dispute on the purse.