By Patrick McHugh: WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35 KOs) was quick to call out IBF champion Anthony Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs) last Saturday night moments after he’d registered his 17th consecutive knockout in stopping American challenger Dominic Breazeale (17-1, 15 KOs) in the 7th round at the O2 Arena in London, England. Wilder says he wants Joshua to come to the U.S to fight him, and he doesn’t want to wait any longer for that fight to happen. Wilder wants the fight now. Joshua’s response to that was to suggest that Wilder needs to focus on his next title defense against Chris Arreola on July 16.
“Since the winter time you planned on Tyson Fury. Hey, it’s time to make your American debut Anthony Joshua. Eddie Hearn said sooner than later so let’s make sooner “NOW”!!!!!” said Wilder on his Twitter.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has already said he’s interested in matching him against either his IBF mandatory challenger Joseph Parker or Wladimir Klitschko. Parker, 24, would seem like the more logical of the two fighter’s listed, because Wladimir has a rematch with Fury coming up in October if the British fighter’s injured ankle heals up by then.
“Let him focus on his fight with Chris Arreola, that’s important to him,” said Joshua to skysports.com about Wilder. “I will definitely be out there making my US debut soon, whether it’s against Wilder or not, I just want to get out there, make my name known because it’s a golden time for boxing again. Let’s start building, hit the big stage.”
It sounds like Joshua isn’t ready to fight Wilder at this point. Joshua is perhaps only now realizing that the different heavyweights in the division see him as the top money guy in the division and they want the chance to fight him for the payday. It doesn’t matter if they lose. Just getting the fight against him ensures themselves a good payday, and possibly enough money to last them the rest of their lives.
When Joshua does choose to fight in the U.S, his options will be limited because there aren’t too many top American heavyweight contenders worth fighting. If he’s not going to be fighting Wilder, then Joshua can face the likes of Bryant Jennings, Bermane Stiverne, Luis Ortiz, Any Ruiz, Malik Scott, Gerald Washington, or Jarrell Miller. There’s not much for Joshua to choose from as far as the U.S heavyweights go, because he’s already beaten two of them in his last two fights in stopping Breazeale and Charles Martin.
“There are so many wolves in the pack right now who want to come for what we’ve built, but no problem,” said Joshua. ”I’ve got a good team. We will sit down and discuss our options for the short term – hopefully fight in November or even sooner so we can fit in another two fights – and then a longer-term strategy.”
Joshua will need to wait for a fight against Tyson Fury until 2017, and it’s unknown if the tall 6’9” heavyweight will still unbeaten by then. The rematch with Wladimir figures to be a difficult one for Fury, and he might lose it.