is AJ really gonna fight SASHA next ?

[dickbelden]

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/boxing/ ... ddie-Hearn

[DrDuke]

Joshua definitely wants to face Wilder. It's the same risk, but a bigger price in a case of winning. Povetkin is a WBA mandatory, Joshua must fight him or vacate. AJ and his team obviously want to make not just fight vs Wilder but make it for the undisputed championship. That's the one of the reasons why nothing is happening in the sense of signing. AJ's team is probably working on avoiding Povetkin for now and somehow moving him a bit back in the line without vacating WBA belt.

[candyslim]

It seems the obvious thing to do especially since Wilder is fighting Breazeale. It seems to have gone eerily quiet though

[joshj909]

Both AJ's and Wilder's teams are negotiating slowly on purpose. I think Wilder is waiting for AJ to announce Povetkin, call him a duck then announce Breazeale.

AJ might aswell get the mandatory out the way seeing as a Wilder fight wouldn't happen until the Autumn at earliest, even if if the agreement was made tomorrow.

Also, If the WBA & WBC mandatories don't get taken care of then the IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO mandatories will all come to the winner of the match at roughly the same time. Therefore, the undisputed champ wouldn't last long as I don't see any of the org's being ok with being pushed to 4th priority.

[Ron C]

If Wilder and Joshua wait too long to fight each other we’ll probably end up with another Gamboa/Juanma situation on our hands here

[Ilya Muromets]

I don't believe it. Wilder already punked out on fighting the Vityaz man, with a little help from Doctor Margaret and the Las Vegas NeVADA mob, and Joshua's handlers aren't going to let him either, because neither Wilder nor Joshua's handlers want their cash cows KO'd and devalued and their very private boxing alphabet clubs taken over by the Big Bad Russians! They're just blowing steam. They only want their two preciouses to fight each other.

[Like a Boss]

If Wilder and Joshua wait too long to fight each other we’ll probably end up with another Gamboa/Juanma situation on our hands here

Agree with you. There's a fine line between marinating and overcooking.

Not sure either side are working hard enough to get the fight made - at least in the short term anyway. Would like to be wrong on that because it is the fight people want.

[KiwiRider]

The governing bodies will most likely play ball with what AJ wants. It makes financial sense to keep the belt with the biggest earner.
Enforcing a mandatory and risking AJ dropping the belt is not a sound business decision.
AJ is by far and above the biggest money spinner in the division.

[candyslim]

I've little doubt AJ wants Wilder next, the guy's been shouting his mouth off and basically calling Joshua a coward. He's got under AJ's skin and I think AJ really wants to straighten him out ... in every sense.

There isn't animosity toward Povetkin so no burning desire to stick it to him, but anyone who thinks that Joshua or his team are scared of Sasha is seriously deluded.