Anthony Joshua open to Deontay Wilder fight in 2022 after Fury fights but American ‘turned down deal of century in past’

Published

19th February 2021

ANTHONY JOSHUA is open to fighting Deontay Wilder in 2022, revealed promoter Eddie Hearn.

AJ is set to take on Tyson Fury twice this year to crown an undisputed world heavyweight champion.

Anthony Joshua remains in talks over a huge showdown with Tyson Fury

After his double-header with the Gypsy King, Joshua could turn his attention to Wilder.

Hearn claimed the Bronze Bomber rejected the ‘deal of a lifetime’ to fight him in the past.

The pair were long-linked with a unification bout while Wilder had hold of the WBC belt.

But the fight failed to materialise even though Wilder admitted he received a big offer.

Hearn told Sky Sports: “If it’s the right fight for AJ, not stylistically, but if it’s the right commercial fight.”

“Listen, Deontay Wilder knows he turned down the deal of a lifetime to fight Anthony Joshua, but he made his bed and respect to him.

“I want to see him back in the ring.

“All we’re focusing on is the Tyson Fury fight, and anything else happens in 2022, because those two fights will be our plan for 2021.”

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Deontay Wilder has not fought since his defeat to Tyson Fury in 2020

Hearn also claimed Dillian Whyte could fight Wilder if he gets past Alexander Povetkin in a rematch.

He said: “For me, I would like to see Dillian Whyte fight Deontay Wilder, but he has to deal with Povetkin.

“Focus on the now, focus on the reality, and Deontay Wilder, I’m sure he’ll be in big fights but for us, we know our plans for 2021.”

Wilder has not fought since he was battered from pillar to post by Fury this time last year.

But the hard-hitting American has vowed to ‘clean out’ the heavyweight division.

When asked about fighting Joshua or Andy Ruiz Jr during an interview with Marcus Watson, he said: “Yeah.

“Any fighter that’s at the top that people haven’t seen me fight and people strongly want to see me fight, that’s who I want to fight.

“I can sit here and name names all day, that’s the easy part.

“I’m just going to go to the top and once you go to the top and it’s someone I ain’t fought, that’s who I want to fight.

Dillian Whyte could face Deontay Wilder if he beats Alexander Povetkin

“I want to clean the division out, period.”

Hearn recently claimed that former WBC champion Wilder has ‘lost his mind’.

The hard-hitting heavyweight accused former trainer Mark Breland of ‘spiking his water’.

He suggested it contributed to his sensational KO defeat to the Gypsy King last year.

Breland described that as a ‘ludicrous allegation’ and ‘outlandish and ridiculous’.