Former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder has been linked to a showdown with Anthony Joshua for over half a decade and, although it seemed that a deal was finally in place for the pair to meet in the ring, talks appear to have stalled again.
Matchroom Promoter Eddie Hearn insists that negotiations are ongoing and that ‘AJ’ is desperate to take on ‘The Bronze Bomber’, but the Brit appears poised to fight an alternative opponent in December or January, ahead of plans to face Wilder later in March or April 2024.
In an interview with Blue Blood Sports TV, Wilder says that AJ’s actions ‘prove’ that he’s afraid to take the fight.
“I know that he [Joshua] is afraid of me. I will forever say that because he hasn’t proved me differently. I know what fear is, we are all from different parts of the slums, I have been in my fair share of fights and I can smell out fear, I know what it is. This man won’t even mention my name when people ask him about me in certain interviews and stuff like that. He avoids me and the conversation about fighting Deontay Wilder, that is proof, it’s nothing that I am making up, we have seen it many times.”
“It is crazy how this thing has been prolonged, it’s been so long and they [AJ and Hearn] always try to deflect it like it was us [preventing the fight]. Now, people are finally realising and seeing that it was never me, it was their side all along.”
Fans are hoping the blockbuster clash will still happen, and with a deal from Saudi Arabia off the table Hearn is now searching for an alternate site host.