In his own super-polite way, IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua has laid into rival champ, WBC ruler Deontay Wilder. AJ is no trash-talker and never will be, but he got as close to being verbally aggressive towards another fighter as he is likely to get when he spoke about Wilder and his “easy pickings” opposition.
Joshua says that, like the fans, he “wants more” from Wilder. Since winning the WBC crown from Bermane Stiverne – still Wilder’s best scalp – “The Bronze Bomber” has faced challengers the critics have felt were of an average at best standard. And on Saturday, Wilder will face another fighter who practically no-one thinks will beat him, in late replacement Gerald Washington (of course it wasn’t Wilder’s fault he needed a short notice foe for Saturday after Andrzej Wawrzyk tested positive for drugs; but Wawrzyk was no great challenger himself the critics said).
Wilder, to be fair, has said he wants the big fights this year; calling out both Joshua and WBO champ Joseph Parker. And AJ feels it’s about time Wilder fought the best.
“I think Wilder needs to fight better opposition,” Joshua said to Sky Sports. “[Gerald] Washington is good, but he’s up and coming still. It was a last minute call-up as well. I know his last opponent (Wawrzyk) failed a drugs test, but I would love for him to postpone it for another month and get someone who could train for a world championship fight. Wilder has been pro for about eight to nine years and I want to see a bit more, and there is nothing wrong with that. Good luck against Washington, but I think the other contenders in the heavyweight division need challenging as well, so I think it would be good for Wilder to face these type of fights, rather than taking easy pickings.”
It’s tough to disagree with Joshua, even if Wilder perhaps deserves a relatively “safe” opponent for his return from injury bout. But Joshua, after just less than five years as a pro, and with just 18 fights under his belt, faces in his next fight a real acid test in the form of Wladimir Klitschko. Wilder has fought no-one of such note, not yet anyway.
Fans do indeed want more from Wilder. If we get it this year; with Wilder facing either Parker or Joshua or at least a solid and interesting contender like a Jarrell Miller or a Luis Ortiz, then okay. But Wilder’s fans will lose patience if the WBC champ fails to take on the best and soon.