Can Joshua's Appeal Survive the Wilder Ducking? It's Getting Bad.

[caldo2025]

A couple of things are pretty obvious even to someone as dumb as me. One is that Anthony Joshua is THE hottest boxer on this planet right now and it's scary what his future potential marketability is not only to Boxing but all sports. Boxing hasn't seen someone like Joshua come around in...perhaps ever. The looks. The eloquence. The physique. The power. The smile. Watching Boxing as long as i have, I consider it to be like catching bigfoot in a net one day. That's what Hearn has...Boxing's bigfoot. It's a blessing and a curse though because now it's on Hearn to get the most return possible for a once in a lifetime talent like Joshua.

Deontay Wilder called out AJ over Instagram again yesterday and I expect that we'll get these daily until Hearn finally makes his latest statement. It's a horrible situation for Hearn because I believe that Joshua's appeal is going to take a serious hit if he doesn't accept this challenge from Wilder. Obviously, there's too much risk versus reward taking a fight with Wilder when all things are equal but Wilder is making it impossible for them to navigate around him. Similar to how fans turned on Canelo and forced the fight with GGG, I can't see the Brits heavily backing a coward for long and still pack the house for his fights. I'm thinking ready or not, Joshua has to take this fight now. But what if he doesn't? What effect do you think this will have on Joshua? You Brits, how would you feel about this?

One thing is definitely certain, Hearn is losing sleep over this one.

[Enlightened-One]

There's no evidence of any ducking on AJ's part... and I'm not really a fan of his.

[Oiky]

It's gonna be dragged out til the time is 100% right

[asdfjkl]

Wilder never fought anyone close near the opponents AJ has always defended against. AJ once lowered himself to defend against the kind of level of opponent Wilder makes his defends against in the name of Molina.
Molina turned out to be a joke, exactly as expected. Remarkebly Molina gave Wilder quite some trouble, but ofcourse such a thing doesn't happen to AJ, I hope Wilder will once fight someone of the level of Miller, Kownacki, Takam, Whyte, Hughie Fury, Klitschko, Povetkin, Ortiz, Pulev, Parker, Andy Ruiz Jr, Junlong Zhang, Oscar Rivas. In fact I think he should do such a thing before he even deserves a fight against AJ.
In reality somehow Wilder ducked a record payday (for him at least) against Shannon Briggs.

[tigermoth87]

I doubt Joshua is ducking since he's already faced an opponent better and more riskier than Windmiller.

The duck is firmly on the guy who has had nearly 40 pro fights and hasn't faced a top 10 fighter yet. The guy who, if he faced Dillian Whyte as rumoured, it would actually be a step up.

I like Wilder. He's fun and exciting to watch. Never has a dull fight. But his opposition has been pathetic.

[Noxy]

Hearn will make the fight when it’s time to make it. The geezer knows what he‘s at and has done a good job with AJ to date

[IKSRTFO]

I doubt Joshua is ducking since he's already faced an opponent better and more riskier than Windmiller.

The duck is firmly on the guy who has had nearly 40 pro fights and hasn't faced a top 10 fighter yet. The guy who, if he faced Dillian Whyte as rumoured, it would actually be a step up.

I like Wilder. He's fun and exciting to watch. Never has a dull fight. But his opposition has been pathetic.

Funny how that same exact thing was said about Canelo and GGG.

[boxing_rocks]

As long as he fights guys like Fury, Parker, Ortiz, he will be fine. Wilder has ducked any credible threat for years.

[Enlightened-One]

Nobody from Team Wilder has submitted an offer to AJ to face 'The Bronze Bomber', so Joshua cannot be accused of "ducking" anyone.

[boxing_rocks]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/an ... s-11487473

[boxing_rocks]

"I'm sitting down with Shelly Finkel and Al Haymon later this week to have our first conversations regarding Joshua vs Wilder," Hearn told Sky Sports.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/boxing/8 ... eph-Parker

[tiny_acres]

"I'm sitting down with Shelly Finkel and Al Haymon later this week to have our first conversations regarding Joshua vs Wilder," Hearn told Sky Sports.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/boxing/8 ... eph-Parker

This excited me

[Ossyrules]

Joshua’s not ducking wilder

[dickbelden]

if WILDER can beat KING KONG ORTIZ it will help mightily !

[drunkenpiper36]

It's gonna be dragged out til the time is 100% right

Agreed. Once the promotors can agree on how to make the most money off the event and settle on terms it'll happen. My guess is that it probably won't occur until maybe 2019

[TheGingerBomber]

The word "coward" is very misplaced on this forum.

Considering there's a world champion that no one is talking about, I highly doubt British boxing fans will go on a witch hunt over AJ/Wilder not happening next.

If they don't fight next year and it's down to AJ, then they'll get on his back, but till then I'd hope the majority get behind him.

[Ossyrules]

If I was a betting man, which I am, I’d be confident this fight happens next year. Not sure if it’s next or not, but I’d say next summer in England we get this fight

[jamamb]

joshuas main appeal, what makes him a superstar, is with british casuals who probably know very little of wilder let alone keep up with daily boxing business news. even if josh were blatantly ducking theyd prob know little of it. And of course the evidence for joshua ducking is?

have wilders side made a formal offer? lmao at instagram callout =other guy ducking. caldo is one of these dumb gullable fans who think tweets are hard negotiations. what a twat

[Enlightened-One]

Anthony Joshua was obliged to perform a mandatory defence of his IBF title against Kubrat Pulev and then subsequently Carlos Takam (the next highest ranked challenger after the Bulgarian withdrew due to injury).

Deontay Wilder was obliged to defend his WBC title last Saturday against Bermane Stiverne.

Eddie Hearn has already initiated contact with Team Wilder to try to organise a bout between AJ and 'The Bronze Bomber'. He'll be seeing them again face-to-face this week whilst he's in America promoting the fight card involving Jacobs and Miller.

Both AJ and Eddie Hearn have stated their desire to arrange a 2018 summer showdown against Deontay Wilder.

Meanwhile, no one from Team Wilder has submitted any offer either to AJ or Matchroom.

If people are moronic enough to genuinely believe that Anthony Joshua has been "ducking" Deontay Wilder, then he's can only possibly have been guilty of doing it for three days, because the American was obliged to defend his WBC title against another opponent.

I'm surprised about some people acting like fûckîng twäts about this issue, by accusing the Brit of cowardice when there's a complete lack of evidence or logic to justify their derogatory accusation.

[caldo2025]

joshuas main appeal, what makes him a superstar, is with british casuals who probably know very little of wilder let alone keep up with daily boxing business news. even if josh were blatantly ducking theyd prob know little of it. And of course the evidence for joshua ducking is?

have wilders side made a formal offer? lmao at instagram callout =other guy ducking. caldo is one of these dumb gullable fans who think tweets are hard negotiations. what a twat

Look, Wilder has appeared on TV calling AJ out on several occasions. Even the fans in the arena sounded like they were booing when AJ danced around the Wilder questioning after his fight too.

It's amazing how some of you guys can't just have a civil conversation without being a an absolute cock. Why even be on here? Go drowned a kitten or fry up some ants with a magnifying glass. Whatever else gets your rocks off.

[Badhusker]

I think Big Baby Miller will fight Joshua next or at least before Wilder since he just signed with Hearn, assuming he gets by his next fight against Wach "Lurch".

[nmhz]

AJ is not ducking anyone. This comment gets thrown around far too much in the boxing scene. A few days ago there was an AJ interview uploaded to Youtube where he talks on the Wilder situation and explains that Wilders team have never put an offer on the table to make a fight with Joshua. Deontay’s smoke & mirror show continues....

[nmhz]

And regarding the title of this thread, does Wilder have any real following in the UK? Several people on the forum have said even in the USA his fan base is small. I dont see how this fight not being made (which I believe it will) would seriously effect his appeal with the majority of boxing fans or casuals

[Bard of Boxrec]

The idea of Joshua being scared of that bumbling oaf is ridiculous

[keirw]

I think Big Baby Miller will fight Joshua next or at least before Wilder since he just signed with Hearn, assuming he gets by his next fight against Wach "Lurch".

A fight with Miller would make for a good US debut, help build his fanbase stateside and allow them to see how many British fans are willing to travel to watch AJ.

If it is a commercial success, it raises the possibility of the Wilder fight taking place in the US also.