Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder revealed today that he’s working on a two-fight deal with Anthony Joshua to face him in Saudi Arabia and then Africa.
Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) didn’t say whose idea it was for a two-fight deal, but it’s believed that it came from Joshua’s side as insurance in case he gets blasted to the next galaxy by the devastating puncher from Alabama.
Whether Joshua actually uses the rematch clause is another thing. If AJ gets knocked out badly by Wilder in Saudi Arabia, it would be foolhardy for him to use the rematch clause to force a second fight because he would literally be putting what’s left of his sinking career on the line.
Joshua has lost 3 out of his last 5 fights since 2019. If he gets beaten twice in a row by Wilder, that would be 5 losses out of 7 fights for AJ.
“That’s the one that’s up next. I’ll be getting in camp for that real soon. It’s going to be a great, great fight between me and him,” said Deontay Wilder to ESNEWS on his two-fight deal with Anthony Joshua for Saudi Arabia for fight #1 and Africa for fight #2.
We’ll see how the Saudi event plays out for Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) because he’s looked like a shell of the fighter that he’s once been lately. Wilder is predicting an early knockout of Joshua, especially if he’s timid from the get-go.
Joshua insists he won’t change his fighting style to return to the aggressive manner that he fought earlier in his career when he was enjoying so much success. He believes he can beat Wilder by fighting smart and boxing him like in his last two fights against Robert Heleniuss & Jermaine Franklin.
Wilder on how the Joshua fight plays out:
It’s really going to be up to Joshua. If he brings a Joshua that’s timid and scared, it’s probably going to go early. If he brings a more confident Joshua, it may go a little bit longer than three, it may go four,” said Wilder.
AJ-Wilder & Fury-Usyk revived for Saudi Arabia
Joshua reported today that talks have been revived about staging his fight with Wilder on the same card as Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia.
By the Saudis putting both heavyweight fights on the same night, it would be a way for them to ensure the event is colossal. There’s no guesswork involved on whether the card will do well when you package Joshua-Wilder & Fury-Usyk on the same night.
