Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua will enter the same arena on December 23, hoping to land a fight with each other. However, there are no guarantees it will happen.
In one of the most flawed plans to pit two fighters together since Wilder vs Andy Ruiz Jr. in 2022, the rivals will face off against separate opponents.
The confirmation that Wilder will battle the out-of-form Joseph Parker and Joshua will face a dangerous test in Otto Wallin has been met with trepidation.
If either loses, the event will be lost forever, leaving the fans the losers alongside whoever doesn’t make it through.
Wilder vs Joshua may not happen
The mastermind behind the decision to pit Wilder and Joshua in a co-feature before they fight each other will have much to answer for if the worst happens.
It could be the most horrific decision ever made in the top division, costing millions of dollars.
One simple consensus among fans and media would have been enough to divulge the massive error of judgment here. Wilder is inactive. He’s fought 170 seconds in two years.
At the same time, Joshua has looked vulnerable since 2019. Every fight has been something of a struggle for the former unified champion.
His last effort against Robert Helenius saw AJ emerge with a bruised face and ego. His actions at the end of the fight left a lot to be desired. It’s not the first time the Londoner has acted like that, either.
Question marks remain over his frailties. But Wilder recently turned 38, so there’s a big chance he could have aged overnight due to his lack of action.
Making fans and media wait another six months while pitting them against alternative top 15 opponents looks like an unfathomable blueprint.
Heavyweight event
Many will tune in on December 23 to determine if they can make it. So, in that sense, it will be a success. However, it could be a rollercoaster ride with a bad ending that will see someone have a massive egg on their face.
Why not give everyone what they want? Make the fight now and then stage a rematch in six months. Boxing has been too indecisive in the past to be messing around with extra bouts.
Both heavyweights are ready to fight the day before Christmas Eve. So let them fight each other!
What happens if Wallin or Parker wins? Do you think the fans will want to see Joshua vs Parker II or Wilder vs Wallin? – No, they simply won’t.
There is just no reason whatsoever not to make Wilder vs Joshua now. The whole charade seems like an extra money-making scheme that could implode embarrassingly.
The views expressed in this article are the opinions of experienced boxing writer Phil Jay.
