AFTER his latest world title defence, WBC titlist Deontay Wilder ramped up the pressure on Anthony Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn for a 2018 heavyweight unificiation with the IBF and WBA champion.
“Our paths must cross at some point in time. I’m saying why wait. Let’s make it now,” Wilder said. “There’s only so much I can say. I want to unify. Is he up for the challenge?
“I want to prove myself so bad. I never wanted to prove myself so bad. Not to me but to the world. Because so many people blame me for so many different things that don’t have anything to do with me. I tried to fight the best. I called out the best. The best haven’t accepted.”
Joshua is the bigger, heavier man. He weighed in at 254lbs in his latest fight, Wilder was only 220¾lbs against Bermane Stiverne. The American however shrugged it off. “I’m always low when it comes to weight but we don’t even think about it anymore,” Wilder said. “I’m scaring heavyweights each and every time. I am the most feared.”
He fears a Riddick Bowe-Lennox Lewis situation, where the two never fought. “If so, you better throw your belts in the trash can because I am coming,” he declared. “His promoter is doing more talking than him. He’s not even confident as a champion.
“Joshua, you can run, run, run as fast as you can. I will catch you.”
“I want to unify the division,” he added. “There should be one champion, one face and one name and his name is Deontay Wilder.”
