Trainer of Deontay Wilder, Malik Scott, has admitted that he and the rest of Wilder’s team have started a search for different dance partners as hopes of the long-awaited heavyweight battle with Anthony Joshua continue to diminish.
The transatlantic rivals have been linked to a showdown for over half a decade, originally for a bout that would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four belt era. However those talks died down, only to re-emerge in 2023 for a mega fight in Saudi, despite the lack of belts.
Now, many boxing fans have Groundhog Day Syndrome with the much-craved spectacle set to go amiss yet again. Scott told the Daily Mail that ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is looking elsewhere.
“The communications are just on standstill. Both parties are now considering other options, just because of the communications that have died down a bit. Neither one of these guys can hold up their career any more longer than they have already held up their career.”
“Money is not the problem, we are dealing with Saudi Arabia. They want more value concerning entertainment brought to their country and Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua as a fight plan, has frozen. Then Usyk and Fury sign a contract for a fight there in December, so it is really confusing. The only thing that I am concerned with is getting Deontay Wilder active, fighting and making big money, being involved in big-time boxing.”
“I just hope and pray that this fight doesn’t end up having the Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe effect, where two great heavyweights don’t end up fighting each other. In my opinion, I would much rather watch and much rather see Deontay fight Anthony Joshua, more than I would like to see Lennox Lewis fight Riddick Bowe.”
There is some hope remaining for Joshua-Wilder, with Eddie Hearn suggesting that the fight could happen in April, despite initially planning for a contest in December.
Wilder’s team is said to be looking at Andy Ruiz Jr and Zhilei Zhang as potential opponents.