Could Anthony Joshua be more popular in America than Deontay Wilder?

Anthony Joshua

THE Anthony Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko showdown qualifies as a mega-fight. It is a meaningful heavyweight contest contest and will sell a record-equalling 90,000 seats at Wembley Stadium in London on April 29, as well as unifying the IBF and WBA world titles.

A sign of its significance is the major US television networks, Showtime and HBO, vying to screen it. โ€œItโ€™s a bit awkward because weโ€™re with Showtime, theyโ€™re with HBO, itโ€™s just trying to find an amicable solution. Weโ€™re nearly there,โ€ Joshuaโ€™s promoter Eddie Hearn told Boxing News. โ€œOur loyalties are with Showtime with the Anthony Joshua brand and Klitschkoโ€™s loyalties are with HBO. You kind of want to give everybody a fair crack of the whip to find a solution.โ€

The American broadcaster is expected to be decided soon. Thereโ€™s no guarantee but itโ€™s possible that Klitschko and Joshua could fight twice. โ€œIf itโ€™s great fight and it makes sense, weโ€™ll look to do it again. But weโ€™re looking at hopefully winning and moving on hopefully into unifications,โ€ Hearn continued.

That makes WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder a highly appealing opponent for Joshua after Klitschko. โ€œThatโ€™s the number one target, although I thought his numbers were really disappointing on Fox. He went on free to air,โ€ Hearn said. โ€œDeontay Wilder should be a 12 month project that you work on to increase the profile. Heโ€™s a very likeable, athletic, American heavyweight world champion. Itโ€™s not hard. But you need a vehicle behind him. Itโ€™s hard work but itโ€™s easy work. Itโ€™s man power and just throwing everything at it. Look at Joshuaโ€™s brand, itโ€™s sensational, down to us [Matchroom], down to Freddie [Cunningham, Joshuaโ€™s manager] and the boys, Sky of course, down to Joshua. Weโ€™re pushing and pushing and pushing. Itโ€™s been four years to get to this stage and everythingโ€™s been impeccable.โ€

Wilder has moved around different television broadcasters and is yet to have a signature win. In contrast Hearn points out, โ€œJoshuaโ€™s fighting Klitschko in his 19th fight, a unification fight. Wilderโ€™s had 38 fights, something like that… He can punch, he can definitely punch. Him and Joshua would be a great fight.

Pondering whether Joshua, who took a press tour to America earlier this year, will become more popular in the USA than Wilder, added, โ€œSoon he will be. And it might be after the Klitschko fight.โ€

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