Former cruiserweight world champion, Tony Bellew, explained why he believes Anthony Joshua’s likely clash with Deontay Wilder is the most exciting fight possible in boxing and shared his excitement that an agreement for the bout appears to be around the corner.
After years of links to one another, it seems that Joshua and Wilder will finally meet in the ring in the early part of 2024, with Eddie Hearn expecting a deal to be reached within two weeks for the showdown in Saudi Arabia.
In an interview with iFL TV, Bellew revealed why he is so exuberant that the heavyweight spectacle will at last take place, labelling it as the biggest heavyweight fight in years.
“It’s probably the most exciting fight in the heavyweight division has put together in two decades. I’m trying to think of the last massive heavyweight fight that brought that kind of [feel]. Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder was great when it got brought together, let’s make no mistake, but Deontay Wilder chose to fight Tyson Fury when he did because he thought it was an absolute gimme.”
“That was always going to be a boxer against a puncher. What you’re getting now is a boxer-puncher versus puncher, and that just equates to violence. The thing about Deontay Wilder is that he cannot do anything else.”
“It’s literally the most exciting fight that could be put together in world boxing, Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua, I genuinely believe that.”
Whilst an announcement has not been made official as of yet, Joshua’s win over Robert Helenius completed phase two of AJ’s three-fight plan, albeit not against his intended opponent. Now, only Wilder stands in AJ’s path of a route back to the top of the division, with the winner of their fight poised to challenge for world honours once again.