By Scott Gilfoid: Anthony Joshua says he wants a future unification fight against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in the UK, where it can potentially take place in front of 80,000 fans. Joshua isn’t saying whether that’s an absolute requirement for a fight with Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs) to take place or not, but if so, then it’s safe to say the fight will NEVER happen.
Joshua wants Wilder fight in UK
“80,000 people or an arena that can hold 15,000 elsewhere? It makes sense to have it here [in the UK],” Joshua said to IFL TV. “That’s probably what’s holding it up, we want it here. Obviously there’s broadcasters, but we have to look at what makes sense for the division. Sometimes you’ve got to go across the pond to make it work.”
You can be sure that Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn will listen to what he’s saying, and will use that as marching orders to try and INSIST that Deontay take the fight in London. Good luck with that one. If Joshua and Hearn insist on trying to ramrod a fight in the UK down Wilder’ throat, he’s going to laugh at them, and move on. Wilder has a lot of great fights he can take, and he doesn’t need Joshua for him to make big bank with his career.
Is this a power play by Joshua?
It’s interesting that with everything that’s happened in the past in terms of the failed negotiations, Joshua would all of a sudden start taking about wanting Wilder to fight him in the UK. Is this a power move or simply of case of Joshua setting up a hurdle so big that Wilder will never be able to leap over it to make the fight. Wilder wants the fight, but he’s not going to be led around by the nose by Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn.
Wilder isn’t Wladimir Klitschko. In other words, he’s not likely to agree put himself in a tough position were Joshua has all the boxing fans in fighting him in London, England at Wembley Stadium. Wladimir likely would have beaten Joshua in their fight in 2017 had it take place in a neutral venue instead of in London.
When Joshua was gassed out and hurt in the 10th round against Klitschko, his British boxing fans brought him back from the brink of defeat by cheering him loudly. Of course, Wladimir played a big part in Joshua’s win as well by making the BLUNDERING decision not to shoot for the knockout after dropping him in the 6th. Wladimir thought he could just cruise to a decision, so he Joshua hang around, and ignored what his trainer Johnathon Banks was telling him at the time in finishing him.
The recent win for Joshua over Andy Ruiz Jr. may have gone to his head, making him think he can order Deontay around, and believe that he’ll follow along in lock step fashion.