THE signs are not promising that the heavyweight unification clash between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder can made in the near future.
Wilder escaped from Tyson Fury, after a controversial draw, with his WBC heavyweight title in December. He is considering a rematch with Fury, but if Wilder fought Joshua, who holds the WBO, WBA and IBF titles, that would lead to decided an undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Joshuaโs promoter Matchroom Boxing insist they have approached Wilderโs team with offers, but received no response. โWe would desperately love to fight Deontay Wilder in Wembley on April 13. We have offered him successively more and more, not just guarantee money, but percentage money,โ Barry Hearn, head of Matchroom Sports, told Love Sport Radio.
โIt will generate many times more than he has ever earned in his life, but thereโs a certain level beyond which we wonโt go because AJ is the A-side. Unfortunately to report that so far despite three, four emails, dozens of phone calls, we havenโt had one response from Deontay Wilderโs team.
โSo sooner or later you take the hint that maybe they donโt want us that bad. But then theyโre also, I guess, planning a Tyson Fury rematch.โ
He continued, โI believe that Anthony Joshua is head and shoulders the number one heavyweight in the world.
โI think heโs the only credible world champion out there, and I think heโll prove to be one of the great heavyweights – not now, but over the next five or six years. And Anthony Joshuaโs a very intelligent young man, he plans his future like that. Weโre not looking to make a few quid quickly, weโre looking to build a legacy. Now I could be totally wrong and the moment he gets beat, Iโll hold my hands up. At the moment, he hasnโt been beat, has he? Heโs had 22 fights, six world title defences. Itโs unbelievable in the history of heavyweight boxing, already after 22 fights. You know, Deontay Wilderโs had over 40 fights, probably only had one or two proper ones but thatโs okay.โ