One common opponent of Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder has a clear favourite to win should the pair ever meet.
A deal has not yet been done for the two big heavyweight punchers to collide in the same ring on the same night. Though it has been talked about and teased for years, the closest we will get this year is them appearing on the same huge bill in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
Former two-time champion Joshua takes on Otto Wallin, who has beaten the likes of Murat Gassier and Dominik Breazeale and pushed Tyson Fury as hard as anyone over 12 rounds when they met back in 2019.
Former WBC title holder Wilder, meanwhile, is squaring off with New Zealand’s former world champion Joseph Parker, the man who lost his title to Joshua.
Both Wilder and Joshua have also beaten American Jason Gavern – Wilder won in the fourth round in 2014, Joshua in the third back in 2015 when he was still at the start of his career.
Speaking to ATG Radio a few years ago, Gavern assessed the potential match-up between the two.
“First of all Joshua has taken the heavyweight division by storm. He’s a freak, man, an amazing fighter. Wilder is more learning on the job. But I think right now for the years we’ve watched both of them rise up, a fight between them is going to be massive.”
He was then asked who would win and sided with the Brit.
“I think it will be one of the best heavyweight fights in the past decade. I’m going to go with Joshua. I think his fight with [Wladimir] Klitschko – I think that was the best Klitschko looked in 10 years plus. Joshua got off the canvas and fought his heart out to win. Wilder has had some difficult fights. His fight with [Bermiane] Stiverne was crazy.
But listen they are both heavyweights, it’s not going 12 rounds.”
Finally, Gavern reckoned that Joshua is the one who holds the more power out of the two.
“I would say Joshua [hits harder]. He moves so fast, especially on the inside, he through a title hook and I didn’t; even know where it was coming from.”
Fans are hoping both men win their December fights and a match-up between them can be made for 2024.