There is still a ray of hope that Anthony Joshua might next
be fighting Deontay Wilder in an intriguing heavyweight
match-up between two former champions.
The potential fight would represent one of the best contests
for either men at this stage in their careers, even despite both
being currently without a belt.
Joshua lost his to Oleksandr Usyk, and Wilder had his taken
away by Tyson Fury, with both of the victors now set to face
off in the first undisputed fight in 24 years at some point in the
near future.
Over the summer Wilder has been strongly linked with a
fight with Andy Ruiz Jr, though negotiations have been pro-
tracted and fractious.
Joshua, meanwhile, has been open about looking for the
Wilder fight after his two comeback wins, though as yet
nothing is signed, leading Wilder’s trainer to believe the Brit
‘doesn’t want it.’
Fabio Wardley is one man who would like to see the fight,
but finds it hard to call.
Speaking to OUTBX, the current British heavyweight
champion gave his view and sided with the American Olym-
pic bronze medalist saying his one-punch knockout power is
too much to evade for a whole fight.
“If I was a betting man, it’s almost hard to say because I do
always want to back a Brit but I’d probably give it to Wilder.
I think it’s very difficult, especially with the way Joshua
has been as of late, I think you have to edge it to Wilder, The
way Joshua has been a bit cuter with his boxing, trying to stay
at range and distance, I think that leads you in more to get
caught.”
He then referenced what Wilder has said before about oppo-
nents needing to stay switched on for every moment of every
fight but he only needs one second to switch out someone’s
lights.
Whilst Wardley believes it’s true, he also doesn’t count out
‘AJ.’
“A lot of it depends on how Wilder turns up himself. He has
a new coach with Malik Scott. He’s made him box smarter,
cuter, maybe that plays in and Wilder doesn’t always let off
that right hand.
So there are a few variables to bounce around. It’s never a
foregone conclusion.”
The British heavyweight champion is next out against Da-
vid Adeleye on the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou undercard
in Saudi Arabia on October 28.
He will be looking to settle their heated feud, which really
boiled over when the pair had a scuffle at an earlier press con-
ference for the fight.