Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker are taking their time in negotiating the right deal that will suit all parties involved. Should Joshua retain his WBA, IBF & IBO titles and grab Parker’s WBO World heavyweight belt in the process, he’s destined to face WBC World heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder after.
The big issue regarding the talks between Joshua and Parker has revolved around the split. Parker wants at least 35 per cent of the pot while Joshua would get 65.
In an interview with ESPN Wilder recently stated that if and when he does fight Joshua, he wants an even 50-50 split.
“All the eyes around the world will be watching. We will stop the world in a moment in time to see once and for all, who is the heavyweight champion of the world. It is a great fight, it is one of the biggest fights in the world and everyone wants it. It will be 50-50 or else we don’t see a fight,” commented Wilder.
If the Joshua fight doesn’t happen in time, Wilder has already picked a couple of alternative names to go after.
Alexander Povetkin has officially been cleared to fight again by all sanctioning bodies after getting charged with a doping violation.
“We have a lot of fighters. We have a lot of guys coming back. You got Luis Ortiz and Alexander Povetkin. I would love to get the opportunity back with some of them guys, the fights that people really want to see and due to their lack of responsibility, as far as being wise for the drugs they choose to put in their bodies that the fight didn’t happen,” said Wilder.
Wilder and Povetkin we’re initially suppose meet in May 2016 but the Russian failed a drug test and tested positive for meldonium less than two weeks before the bout. A fight between Povetkin and Wilder is possible in 2018.
Ortiz is another fighter Wilder wants to settle business with. The Cuban was scheduled to challenge ‘The Bronze Bomber’ for his WBC belt in November but failed a drug a test before the fight. ‘King Kong’ tested positive for blood pressure medicine that can be used as masking agents for performance-enhancing drugs. Ortiz failed to inform WADA about his usage and thus was charged with a doping violation.
After the WBC’s investigation, Ortiz’s suspension was lifted since the governing body came to the conclusion that the Cuban was, in fact, taking the medicine for high blood pressure.
Povetkin will fight Christian Hammer this month in a WBO final eliminator bout that could also be a WBA final eliminator fight as well according to Boxing Scene.
Wilder is excited that both fighters are back and is more than ready to fight both of them.
“Hey, they back, why not? I would love to get back in the ring and mix it up with those guys. I can’t wait for 2018. The heavyweight division is too exciting. We want go get in the ring and prove ourselves, as men, as warriors, as the best and I am one of the ones saying I am the best and I can’t wait to prove to the world I am who I say I am,” told Wilder.
The vicious American knockout artist took care of business against Bermane Stiverne in brutal fashion last month. If he faces Povetkin, Ortiz or anybody else, he expects to dish out the same kind of punishment. Wilder knows he can hurt people in a bad way but because of the rough nature of the sport, he has to do his best to take his opponents out before they take him out.
“Of course I think about it, but I don’t necessarily think about it for me because I am not the one taking the punishment,” Wilder said. “It is always my opponents who have taken the brutal knockouts. I haven’t taken punishment like that. Of course I think about it for them, and I also think about it for me.
Where my #BombZquad at??? #KnockoutOfTheYear 💥👊🏿 https://t.co/GR7bCmjf9C
— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) December 5, 2017
“It is a jungle and in the jungle we all know only the strong survive in the jungle. If you are not strong, you better start to hide and you better find a great hiding spot because sometimes where you at, you get found and you that’s it.”
READ MORE:
Wilder: Don’t Be Surprised If Anthony Joshua Gets Knocked Out In Round One
Deontay Wilder Willing To Wait – “I’m Not Chasing Joshua”