Anthony Joshua facing Deontay Wilder seems to have hit a dead end once again, but the British boxing sensation remains optimistic about the possibility of that blockbuster showdown – and he's got reasons to back it up.
AJ and ‘The Bronze Bomber’ had inked a two-fight agreement, with the first clash scheduled in Saudi Arabia on March 9. The only requirement was to steer clear of defeat in their respective matches on the colossal 'Day of Reckoning' event in Riyadh last Saturday.
Joshua did his part impeccably, dismantling Wallin in a dominating five-round display. However, Wilder stumbled, facing a decisive defeat against former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker.
For the moment, the much-anticipated Joshua vs Wilder showdown seems to have hit a snag, but Joshua isn't entirely convinced it's over.
“I’m not too sure what can happen from here, but I’m sure from a fan perspective, they’ll be more annoyed. For me I always understand how this game is, you never know this is elite level boxing, the ‘Day of Reckoning’ was an amazing card. Wilder just came up short but he’ll live to fight another day, me and him can still get it on, we can still get it cracking," he said.
“I believe I’m a massive threat, I still think Wilder’s a threat and I still think it does amazing numbers if we get it on. But I’ll leave that down to my management, trainers promoters to make the decision. I’m down to fight anyone, whenever and whoever.”
In 2023, Joshua stepped into the ring thrice, securing victories each time. It seems he aims to maintain this momentum into 2024. There's talk of a potential bout against Filip Hrgovic, possibly contending for the IBF heavyweight title post the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk match, slated for March. However, AJ's sights are set on a far grander goal – the coveted showdown with Fury, a dream match he's eagerly eyeing.
When asked who he would rather fight, AJ said: “100 percent Tyson Fury, but I’m not dodging Hrgovic by the way. I’ll fight Hrgovic as well.”