Anthony Joshua made a startling announcement over the weekend to contradict comments made by his promoter over a fight with Deontay Wilder.
AJ spoke to Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle on the sidelines of the most recent race, blowing away Eddie Hearn’s statement that a Wilder collision had collapsed.
Hearn had said Wilder was not interested in facing Joshua. Wilder’s trainer, Malik Scott, had said likewise about AJ. The back-and-forth was blown out of the water as Joshua revealed talks were still ongoing,
The former heavyweight champion added that staging the grudge match on the same night as Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr remained possible due to Middle Eastern investors. Another contraction to already confirmed news that Fury vs Usyk was on the cards for December.
Anthony Joshua contradicts others with Deontay Wilder tease
“They [the Middle Eastern investors] want to put Usyk vs Fury and Joshua vs Wilder on the same night. That might not happen until April,” Joshua outlined to Brundle.
He then added his belief that he doesn’t see Usyk vs Fury happening by the end of 2023.
“When Fury gets through Ngannou, it will be late October, early November. I doubt he will now prepare for Usyk and fight in December. It’s too short,” AJ pointed out.
“The next window will probably be in March or April. That’s probably when the undisputed fight will potentially happen.
“Then obviously, we are being told that they want to make it a mega card. They also like the sound of Joshua vs Wilder on the same card.”
Joshua confirmed he’s still looking to fight again by the end of the year.
“For an event, that’s good [the stage both fights on the same night], but I’ve got to stay busy for a career. So, in terms of the opponent, we have to find the right opponent. I’m switching trainers. I am following my process.”
“I remember when they said they didn’t want me to fight this year. They said, don’t fight this year. We’re going to do the Usyk vs Fury fight. Imagine [if I hadn’t] fought twice this year already, I would have had a stagnant year again.
“So I am just following my process. I am not listening to all the noise about Wilder and these guys.
“When the opportunity comes, we will be ready because I will have trusted where I’m going. It will have led me to the fight, but I am not waiting around for big opportunities.”
Will Wilder vs Joshua happen?
In contrast to Joshua, Wilder hasn’t fought since October last year. The recently-turned 38-year-old is also filming a reality TV show, proving where his priorities lie.
If Wilder does agree to face Joshua in the spring, he’ll have to go into it rusty and without a fight for eighteen months. Unless he hastily arranges a fight when filming duties for Peacock’s “The Traitors” ends in November.
The on-off saga of a four-strong heavyweight bonanza could now be back on the cards.
Phil Jay is an experienced boxing news writer.
Editor of World Boxing News since 2010.
