“If a fight with Anthony Joshua never happens, it’s not my fault,” these were the strong words from American professional boxer, Deontay Wilder, during a recent interview.
Wilder, a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020, making ten successful defences. His potential showdown with Anthony Joshua, the British two-time unified heavyweight world champion, has been on the cards for years, but a series of circumstances has continuously derailed the prospect of this much anticipated face-off. Wilder made it abundantly clear that the blame for this failure to materialize does not rest on his shoulders.
“We’ve done everything we can to make this fight happen,” Wilder continued. “I want this for my legacy. I want to be able to say I beat the best, and Anthony Joshua is one of the best out there.”
Joshua, who currently holds WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO titles, also expressed his eagerness for a showdown with Wilder in the past. A unification bout between the two, which would have been one of the biggest events in heavyweight boxing history, looked set to take place in 2019, but financial agreements, among other factors, resulted in a collapse. Wilder now claims that his team is still ready and willing to commit to a re-negotiation.
“Of course we’re still open to the Joshua fight, provided it makes sense for us,” Wilder confirmed. “We’re not backing down from anyone. But this is a business, and the fight has to make sense from a business perspective.”
Some boxing pundits and fans remain skeptical, citing the politicking and financial scheming often prevalent in high-stakes boxing promotions. Yet, others are optimistic that Wilder’s statement might act as a catalyst in bringing the two titans of modern heavyweight boxing together.
Even as negotiations for the big fight continue to linger, both Wilder and Joshua have compelling battles lined up. Wilder is set to face his old foe, Tyson Fury, for the third time. Joshua, on the other hand, is set to defend his titles against Oleksandr Usyk.
A win in these fights for both Wilder and Joshua will inevitably reignite talks of a unification bout, a prospect that could set new pay-per-view records and generate unprecedented revenues.
“It’s the fight that the fans want,” Wilder said. “It’s the fight that I want. If it doesn’t happen, it won’t be because we didn’t try.” It’s clear from Wilder’s words that he sees himself as a sportsman first, willing to climb into the ring with whomever, whenever, to prove his mettle.
In conclusion, the potential Wilder-Joshua face-off will remain a talking point among fans and pundits. While there’s no doubt that boxing, like any other sport, is a business, one can’t forget that it’s the fights that create history, not the money. Thus, all eyes are on the leaders in the industry to make the right decisions and to promote fights that fans truly want to see.
Ultimately, it’s clear that Deontay Wilder is ready for the fight and is more than willing to go toe-to-toe with Anthony Joshua. Despite the challenges in orchestrating this bout, Wilder’s vigor and determination could indeed be the catalyst necessary to make this dream matchup a reality.
