Anthony Joshua has hinted that his showdown with Deontay Wilder could pair up for a thrilling night alongside Tyson Fury’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk.
Our dear Anthony shared with BBC Sport and other media, “They’re considering Usyk-Fury and Joshua-Wilder on the same night. We’re looking at April, but let’s see.” He revealed this juicy detail while he was chilling at the US Grand Prix in Texas. Talk about setting the stage!
Now, a lot has been said about Joshua potentially fighting the power-packed American Wilder. In fact, Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, seemed super confident, saying they’d sorted out all the details, right from the money to everything else. But as fate would have it, things changed and the fight never materialized. Drama, right?
However, before all this can happen, there’s a small problem. Our charismatic Lion Tyson Fury will face boxing novice Francis Ngannou for the jaw-dropping price of just $79.99 on PPV in “the fight of the century”. Joshua speculates, “If Fury gets past Ngannou by late October, I’m not sure he’ll have enough time to get ready for Usyk in December.”
He continued, “So, the next probable slot is around March-April, aligning with when the undisputed fight could occur. And from what we hear, the idea of having Joshua vs. Wilder on that same card is resonating with many.”
Briton Fury, our WBC champ, and Ukraine’s sensation Usyk, who’s rocking the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles, are undoubtedly the top heavyweights right now. The winner takes it all and will be crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion in this four-belt era.
Fury’s impressive record, with 33 wins and just one draw, is truly respectable. And Usyk? Undefeated in 21 professional fights, he successfully defended his titles against London’s own Daniel Dubois this past August.
After facing two losses to Usyk, Joshua made a roaring comeback by knocking out Robert Helenius in London’s O2 Arena this August. On being probed about his December opponent, Joshua candidly replied, “It won’t be the champs – that’s Usyk and Fury. And I’m still uncertain about the Wilder situation.”
On the topic of the delay in securing a date against Wilder, Joshua felt the present climate resembled a scramble, noting, “It seems some boxers are aiming to optimize earnings. Earlier in my career, you’d build your record, keep fighting, and then move to the significant battles. Now, the question is, ‘where’s the most lucrative venue for the fight?’ The preference seems to be Saudi Arabia.
Joshua concluded, emphasizing the importance of staying active, “For the sake of my career, I need to remain busy. As for my December fight, we’re scouting for the perfect opponent.”