Deontay Wilder facing Anthony Joshua in early 2023 comes with a severe warning to boxing fans that the fight is happening far too late.
Both long in the tooth, one out of form [Joshua] and one out for months [Wilder], the spectacle promises much but will merely be a straight knockout shoot-out.
Whoever lands the first big super-punch will win, with the pair having proven their fortitude to get up from knockdowns in the past.
With Wilder facing fellow ex-world heavyweight champion Joshua in 2023 going out of the window, the delay doesn’t help the fight at all.
The fading names are getting a big payday before their once bright flames are extinguished for good, with many fans knowing their best days are firmly gone.
Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua
World Boxing News had first-hand knowledge of how the discussions went the last time they crumbled. After four years, Wilder seems to have only one thing on his mind – to get AJ in the ring.
That’s despite a WBC ruling regarding an eliminator clash with Andy Ruiz Jr. – which has since been canceled.
Speaking with Elie Seckbach about the fight, Wilder just wanted the fight done as AJ talks progressed.
“Let’s make it happen,” Wilder told ES News. “I’m going to give [the] Saudi [Arabian fans and investors] their first knockout victim.
“Any Wilder fight, you can expect that, but this one will be really special. I’ve got something special that I will put on the punch [for Joshua] with this one.”
Shelly Finkel spoke exclusively to World Boxing News in the spring when the New Yorker said: “Deontay is willing to fight Anthony Joshua next.
“We would take that fight in the UK or the Middle East and do it next.”
He added on the now-collapsed Ruiz fight: “We have the WBC eliminator with Ruiz, and we will do that, but we want the Joshua fight.
“Eddie Hearn said he contacted me in August, but we had the [Robert] Helenius fight. We announced it that month and said we won’t talk to anyone until after the Helenius fight. Eddie knew this but still said he had contacted us.
“Now we are willing to talk to make a deal for Joshua next.”
Wilder vs Joshua – short-changed
Fans shouldn’t get too excited, especially given the form of the two ex-titleholders.
Wilder has lost two of his last three and only fought those contests over four years [by the time the Saudi fight happens].
Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin and Helenius himself but looked awful against the two one-time contenders.
They will get the significant build-up their old reigns will afford them. However, the truth of the matter is the fight should have been for the undisputed title in 2018.
Fans, who will be asked to pay huge Pay Per View fees, will be getting short-changed for their money.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of experienced boxing writer Phil Jay.
