As reigning WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder says, the heavyweight division is coming alive again. And Wilder, who is itching to get back in the ring, says he wants to keep it that way. Speaking at the WBC convention, Wilder said he wants to fight the winner of the April clash between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko.
The April 29th fight, set for Wembley, promises to be a huge event – with promoter Eddie Hearn speaking about the possibility of 90,000 tickets shifting – but Wilder against the winner could be even bigger.
A monstrous unification showdown, Wilder versus either Joshua or Klitschko would contest three belts. Wilder must make his ring return first – pencilled in for February, opponent TBA – but as he says, his eyes are on the April mega-match.
“If all goes well, I’m going to get the winner of Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko,” Wilder said. “It doesn’t bother me who I fight. Let’s bring it! In my country, in their country. Let’s go.”
Wilder added how he doesn’t plan on staying in the ring too long, that he wants to accomplish his goals and leave the sport, his legacy intact. A win over the April winner would go a long way towards forming Wilder’s legacy. Indeed, many fans would look at the unified WBC, WBA and IBF ruler as the best big man on the planet – be it Wilder, AJ or former ruler Klitschko.
Wilder would be permitted to put his WBC mandatory defence against the winner of this Saturday’s Alexander Povetkin-Bermane Stiverne fight in Russia on ice, as per WBC rules which stipulate that a unification fight supercedes a mandatory – and no fan will complain. Wilder against Povetkin, or Stiverne in a rematch, could come late next year, and a much bigger fight that one would be if Wilder held three belts instead of just one.
As Wilder says, the division is exciting and alive again. Wilder against Joshua, in Las Vegas – talk about big!