Deontay Wilder ready to fight Anthony Joshua

• Deontay Wilder has responded to Anthony Joshua’s last weekend tease of a possible bout, saying he is ready to face him
• Joshua and Wilder were unable to agree terms for an undisputed showdown when they held all heavyweight division’s major titles between them

Deontay Wilder has responded to Anthony Joshua’s last weekend tease of a possible bout, saying he is ready to face him. Wilder said it would be a “major disaster” if he never fights Joshua.

Joshua hinted last weekend in an interview with Sky Sports saying his highly anticipated bout with Wilder could be part of a blockbuster card topped by Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. Joshua claimed the event could take place next year in Saudi Arabia. However, Fury has stated that he would like to face Usyk as early as December.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder have never faced each other before. Photo/ Sports Brief.

“They want to put Usyk v Fury and Joshua v Wilder on the same night. When Fury gets through Ngannou it is going to be late October going into November so I doubt he will prepare for Usyk and then fight in December. It is too short. So, the next window will be in March or April and that is when the undisputed fight will happen. What we are being told is that they want to make it a mega-card.” Anthony Joshua said last week, as per The Guardian.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder were unable to agree terms for an undisputed showdown when they held all heavyweight division’s major titles between them.

Speculations has been building recently that the two could finally face each other in 2024. Promoter Eddie Hearn had previously stated that a fight between Joshua and Wilder was close in September before potential hosts in Saudi Arabia backed out of the deal.

Responding to Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder said he is doing everything within his powers to ensure the fight happens.

“(It is) a fight everyone is looking forward to and hopefully it happens and I’m doing everything in my power to make it happen, and I’m referring to the Anthony Joshua fight. Anthony, you’re getting it from the horse’s mouth himself: I’m here, I’m ready to go…let’s make this the best time of our lives. This would be a major disaster if we were never able to get in the ring and put our stamp down in history.” Deontay Wilder wrote on Instagram.

Deontay Wilder, who turned 38 on Sunday, has started negotiations with Anthony Joshua from scratch and has made it clear that he wants to face him. The American heavyweight has not stepped into the ring since his first-round stoppage of Robert Helenius.

According to BBC Sports, there are no plans to combine the Usyk-Fury fight night with Joshua-Wilder at the moment. There’s a possibility that the fight between Joshua and Wilder could take place next year in the United States.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder. Photo/ Bad Left Hook.

Meanwhile, Joshua has stated that he intends to fight before the end of 2023, probably in December. However, it is unlikely that his opponent will be Wilder.