For some time on the heavyweight scene, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder was the fight to make.
There were frustrating and ultimately fruitless talks for the two to stage an undisputed fight when they had all the belts between them – Wilder the WBC, Joshua the IBF, WBA and WBO – but no agreement could be reached and the American would lose to Tyson Fury whilst ‘AJ’ was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk, who became four-belt champion this month.
Even without titles, Joshua-Wilder was demanded by fans. It was targeted to happen this year after both fought on the same card last December, but Wilder lost to Joseph Parker.
The 38-year-old was given a bout against fellow hard-hitter Zhilei Zhang this past weekend again with the carrot of fighting Joshua later in the year. Wilder looked a shadow of his former self and was stopped in the fifth.
He had said before the fight retirement was an option should he lose. On the DAZN broadcast, Joshua was asked about this.
“Come again if you want, but he’s got his family and there’s a life outside of boxing for him. I enjoy fighting in London, I enjoy fighting out here [Saudi Arabia], I enjoy fighting in America. It’s a blessing, and it don’t last forever. That’s why I say it with Wilder, if he wants to go again, give it another crack. But sooner or later, Father Time will catch up with you – with everyone.”
Should Wilder indeed hang up the gloves – a move many fans and pundits back, including Lennox Lewis – we will have officially missed out on one of the most intriguing heavyweight bouts of this era.
Joshua was asked if he was disappointed to watch his American rival lose in such a way, seemingly signalling the end of any potential competition between the two. but he said no.
“Nah, it is what it is.”
Joshua is looking likely to face either Zhang or Daniel Dubois on September 21 at Wembley Stadium. The 26-year-old Brit impressed on the same card by stopping Filip Hrgovic to snatch the IBF Interim World Heavyweight Title. ‘AJ’ said he was ‘hardened’ now.
“He’s been in tougher fights, so he becomes hardened. He’s worked his way up the ladder, so we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
There is potential for that bout to be for the full IBF World Title should the sanctioning body force Usyk to vacate.
