Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder - Who wins?

[MasterG]

I think this forum needs a full time counsellor, there's some right old nutjobs on here.

I'm starting to do some mentoring next week with a young person, so when I've got an exit strategy I'm up for giving some counselling

[Cyclops]

Matchroom target Deontay Wilder for Anthony Joshua

It feels like we've been here before, and many times, but Matchroom have again voiced their desire to match Anthony Joshua with Deontay Wilder.

The pair were linked with a fight to decide the undisputed champion when both men held all variations of the heavyweight titles in 2018-19. The failure to agree to what would have been one of the biggest fights in boxing history saw both take different routes. Wilder would ultimately lose his WBC belt to Tyson Fury and endured defeats to Andy Ruiz Jnr (avenged) and Oleksandr Usyk (not avenged).

Joshua and Wilder have not fought since knockout defeats last year to Daniel Dubois and Zhilei Zhang respectively.

Speculation over the return of Joshua started last week when the heavyweight’s promoter Eddie Hearn revealed to Boxing Scene that Joshua was in talks with Riyadh Season over a two-fight deal after having surgery on an injured elbow. The likes of Dillian Whyte and Jared Anderson were among the names discussed for a bout that would likely land in Autumn. Whyte was due to have a run out on this Saturday’s card in Ipswich, England - topped by Fabio Wardley and Justis Huni - but Whyte was pulled with a “major fight” announcement seemingly imminent.

“[It’s] not Anthony Joshua, but I hear they've got a big fight lined up for him,” Matchroom CEO, Frank Smith told BS. “Look, Dillian Whyte is a big name in the sport, we all know that and whatever it is, I’m excited to hear.”

So with Whyte seemingly out of the picture as an opponent for Joshua’s return, Smith was asked who would likely be in the opposing corner.

“I personally like the Deontay Wilder fight myself, I think there's so much narrative there,” Smith said. “He's got a comeback fight I think next month or this month and that's a massive fight. AJ's in a great position, he's still commercially the biggest draw in the sport I believe... but we've got to make the right decision and this is the biggest decision he'll make of his career. So, get back in the gym, get 100 per cent, and then we'll go for it.”

Erm... If it was the 02, which is dead easy for me to get to, I'd probably go to this

It'd have to be at home, wouldn't it? It being in Saudi would be rubbish. It'll probably last 2 rounds, but the tension waiting for one of them to be KO'd I can imagine being electric live.

[Ruthless-RKO]

EDDIE HEARN MAKES CONTACT WITH TEAM WILDER ABOUT LONG-AWAITED ANTHONY JOSHUA FIGHT

Eddie Hearn has made contact with Deontay Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel about a potential fight with the fit-again Anthony Joshua.

The London heavyweight, who recently underwent elbow surgery, is expected to return to the ring this autumn after taking a year out and this week insisted he is capable of "taking the division by storm."

Across the pond, another former world heavyweight champion ended his own boxing exile by stopping Tyrrell Herndon in the seventh round of their fight in Wichita, Kansas. It was Wilder’s first outing for 12 months and, while not vintage Bronze Bomber, the victory was enough for him to blow off some cobwebs.

And no sooner are Joshua and Wilder back in the picture than discussions begun about finally putting them together in a fight.

There was a time when they were undefeated heavyweight world champions and it remains one of the biggest travesties of their generation that nobody managed to arrange a unification between them.

They are now deep into their 30s and approaching the end of their careers, but AJ's long-term promoter Hearn still believes there is an appetite for Joshua-Wilder.

“I think it’s always going to be a big fight because it’s exciting, enticing and dangerous,” Hearn told The Ring.

Joshua, 35, a two-time heavyweight champion, is 28-4 (25 KOs) and ranked No.5 by The Ring while Wilder, 39, the former WBC king, is 44-4-1 (43 KOs) and is no longer in the top 10.

Hearn had suggested that another of his heavyweights, Dave Allen, could be an option for Wilder, too, but also brought up the possibility of him fighting Joshua during a conversation with Finkel.

He said: “I spoke to Shelly Finkel because we were talking about a potential fight with Dave Allen. But we will see what’s next.

“Wilder seems to have a little plan of wanting to stay quite active and I think that’s a good thing for him and maybe that’s a fight that can materialise.”

[gregregegg]

EDDIE HEARN MAKES CONTACT WITH TEAM WILDER ABOUT LONG-AWAITED ANTHONY JOSHUA FIGHT

Eddie Hearn has made contact with Deontay Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel about a potential fight with the fit-again Anthony Joshua.

The London heavyweight, who recently underwent elbow surgery, is expected to return to the ring this autumn after taking a year out and this week insisted he is capable of "taking the division by storm."

Across the pond, another former world heavyweight champion ended his own boxing exile by stopping Tyrrell Herndon in the seventh round of their fight in Wichita, Kansas. It was Wilder’s first outing for 12 months and, while not vintage Bronze Bomber, the victory was enough for him to blow off some cobwebs.

And no sooner are Joshua and Wilder back in the picture than discussions begun about finally putting them together in a fight.

There was a time when they were undefeated heavyweight world champions and it remains one of the biggest travesties of their generation that nobody managed to arrange a unification between them.

They are now deep into their 30s and approaching the end of their careers, but AJ's long-term promoter Hearn still believes there is an appetite for Joshua-Wilder.

“I think it’s always going to be a big fight because it’s exciting, enticing and dangerous,” Hearn told The Ring.

Joshua, 35, a two-time heavyweight champion, is 28-4 (25 KOs) and ranked No.5 by The Ring while Wilder, 39, the former WBC king, is 44-4-1 (43 KOs) and is no longer in the top 10.

Hearn had suggested that another of his heavyweights, Dave Allen, could be an option for Wilder, too, but also brought up the possibility of him fighting Joshua during a conversation with Finkel.

He said: “I spoke to Shelly Finkel because we were talking about a potential fight with Dave Allen. But we will see what’s next.

“Wilder seems to have a little plan of wanting to stay quite active and I think that’s a good thing for him and maybe that’s a fight that can materialise.”

I read "Contract" not "Contact"... Fvck...

[Ruthless-RKO]

“Most definitely [the AJ fight will happen]… we’re still in it and we’re still active and we’re gonna meet each other.

“You know it’s a lot of great things that has been going on in boxing you know with different people that’s getting involved and making the best fights happen at this appropriate time, you know and I’m looking forward to it all.

“I don’t have no time to take no steps back, you know we have a strategic plan that we have planned set for and we’re following along with it but if we have to take certain shortcuts and certain things we will do so. I am a veteran in this business at this moment in time and I love every bit of it.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[gilgamesh]

Do Joshua vs Fury first. That's too big too miss out on.

Wilder vs Joshua will still be a big fight regardless of whether Joshua wins or loses against Fury.

Joshua and Fury needs to happen next for both men before it loses any more prestige. Of course if Joshua beat Wilder it would gain prestige, but it's too risky

[CaptainSpacerod]

It’s absolutely disgraceful that these three and their representatives are oh so keen to fight each other now they’re washed up old has beens.

They see nothing wrong in shamelessly wringing every penny possible out of the paying public to boost their already massive retirement funds by participating in meaningless fights

If they want big bucks fight some young uns who’ll come to win. I’d like to see Wilder in with Kabayel, Fury in with Moses and AJ in with Wardley

[gilgamesh]

They should fight each other if they're gonna fight at all. They've already fought some of the young names and lost to em

[mickey1975]

It’s absolutely disgraceful that these three and their representatives are oh so keen to fight each other now they’re washed up old has beens.

They see nothing wrong in shamelessly wringing every penny possible out of the paying public to boost their already massive retirement funds by participating in meaningless fights

If they want big bucks fight some young uns who’ll come to win. I’d like to see Wilder in with Kabayel, Fury in with Moses and AJ in with Wardley

Don't forget that two of them had no problem facing each other in their primes.

[CaptainSpacerod]

Yep fair comment

[golden_labrador]

It’s absolutely disgraceful that these three and their representatives are oh so keen to fight each other now they’re washed up old has beens.

They see nothing wrong in shamelessly wringing every penny possible out of the paying public to boost their already massive retirement funds by participating in meaningless fights

If they want big bucks fight some young uns who’ll come to win. I’d like to see Wilder in with Kabayel, Fury in with Moses and AJ in with Wardley

Don't forget that two of them had no problem facing each other in their primes.

there were some quite special circumstances in that happening though: Fury tested positive for banned anabolic steroids, was banned for two years, had his time out and got huge, trashed his body etc.

the Wilder camp saw the returning Fury as an easy target because of his time out, and Fury was desperate and happy to get the chance to fight for a belt again - the alternative being to fight Joshua for the other three belts. Fair play to him, he fought Wilder and should have won on the scorecards but it was special circumstances that first made this fight happen, to my mind anyway.

[mickey1975]

It’s absolutely disgraceful that these three and their representatives are oh so keen to fight each other now they’re washed up old has beens.

They see nothing wrong in shamelessly wringing every penny possible out of the paying public to boost their already massive retirement funds by participating in meaningless fights

If they want big bucks fight some young uns who’ll come to win. I’d like to see Wilder in with Kabayel, Fury in with Moses and AJ in with Wardley

Don't forget that two of them had no problem facing each other in their primes.

there were some quite special circumstances in that happening though: Fury tested positive for banned anabolic steroids, was banned for two years, had his time out and got huge, trashed his body etc.

the Wilder camp saw the returning Fury as an easy target because of his time out, and Fury was desperate and happy to get the chance to fight for a belt again - the alternative being to fight Joshua for the other three belts. Fair play to him, he fought Wilder and should have won on the scorecards but it was special circumstances that first made this fight happen, to my mind anyway.

The alternative was a much easier fight for me.

[golden_labrador]

Don't forget that two of them had no problem facing each other in their primes.

there were some quite special circumstances in that happening though: Fury tested positive for banned anabolic steroids, was banned for two years, had his time out and got huge, trashed his body etc.

the Wilder camp saw the returning Fury as an easy target because of his time out, and Fury was desperate and happy to get the chance to fight for a belt again - the alternative being to fight Joshua for the other three belts. Fair play to him, he fought Wilder and should have won on the scorecards but it was special circumstances that first made this fight happen, to my mind anyway.

The alternative was a much easier fight for me.

we'll never know. if Fury thought so too he'd have made it happen I'm sure. was just before AJ was Ruized too, so AJ's stock was at an all-time high

[keithmoonhangover]

It’s absolutely disgraceful that these three and their representatives are oh so keen to fight each other now they’re washed up old has beens.

They see nothing wrong in shamelessly wringing every penny possible out of the paying public to boost their already massive retirement funds by participating in meaningless fights

If they want big bucks fight some young uns who’ll come to win. I’d like to see Wilder in with Kabayel, Fury in with Moses and AJ in with Wardley

Don't forget that two of them had no problem facing each other in their primes.

there were some quite special circumstances in that happening though: Fury tested positive for banned anabolic steroids, was banned for two years, had his time out and got huge, trashed his body etc.

the Wilder camp saw the returning Fury as an easy target because of his time out, and Fury was desperate and happy to get the chance to fight for a belt again - the alternative being to fight Joshua for the other three belts. Fair play to him, he fought Wilder and should have won on the scorecards but it was special circumstances that first made this fight happen, to my mind anyway.

Was that the time he felt the need to take PEDs just to beat Christian Hammer?

[golden_labrador]

I tip my hat to Fury for taking the Wilder fight.
Deontay could bang back then

[mickey1975]

there were some quite special circumstances in that happening though: Fury tested positive for banned anabolic steroids, was banned for two years, had his time out and got huge, trashed his body etc.

the Wilder camp saw the returning Fury as an easy target because of his time out, and Fury was desperate and happy to get the chance to fight for a belt again - the alternative being to fight Joshua for the other three belts. Fair play to him, he fought Wilder and should have won on the scorecards but it was special circumstances that first made this fight happen, to my mind anyway.

The alternative was a much easier fight for me.

we'll never know. if Fury thought so too he'd have made it happen I'm sure. was just before AJ was Ruized too, so AJ's stock was at an all-time high

I think that was the problem, AJ was clearly the commercial draw at the time and would rightly wanted the lions share of the cash. Tyson has always seen himself as better and would never have agreed to that.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anthony Joshua Speaks Out On The Potential Of Facing Deontay Wilder

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder have long been two of the biggest draws in the heavyweight division.

Both men ruled as champions for several concurrent years, but as of yet have never met in the ring. Joshua largely fought on UK shores early in his career, as he became the unified heavyweight champion with victories over the likes of Charles Martin, Joseph Parker and Wladimir Klitschko.

Though he knocked out plenty of his opponents along the way, he was eventually derailed by back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2020 and 2021, which put talk of a fight with Wilder on ice, especially as ‘The Bronze Bomber’ twice lost by KO to Tyson Fury and then got beaten by Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker.

This weekend, Wilder finally got back to winning ways with a victory over Derek Chisora in his 50th contest, making that two wins in the last two years.



Speaking to MF PRO, Joshua was asked about a potential match-up with Wilder sometime down the line and said ‘you don’t even have to ask.’

“I don’t want to talk about myself. People know what I’m about. You don’t even have to ask that question, you know what I’m about.”

The Brit has been consistent in his willingness to fight Wilder, saying as recently as last year that he believes the fight should still be on the table. With the result this past weekend, it has become all the more likely.

Joshua hasn’t fought since he knocked out Jake Paul late last year. Earlier in 2026, he lost two close friends – Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele – in a car accident, which has also kept him out of the ring, but now he is back in training, so this huge fight could be drawing closer as both men approach the autumn of their careers.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Anthony Joshua ‘obviously had no intention’ of fighting Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder was never in the running to face Anthony Joshua this year and that’s fine with him, claims Shelly Finkel, the “Bronze Bomber’s” manager.

Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champion long linked to “AJ”, reinvigorated his career earlier this month with a 12-round points victory over fellow veteran Derek Chisora. Joshua watched on from ringside inside London, England's O2 Arena and was called out by Wilder in the aftermath.

It briefly triggered speculation that Wilder, 40, and Joshua might soon fight, many years after the contest would have been one of the most eagerly awaited in boxing history. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, even teased that Wilder, 45-4-1 (43 KOs), could be his fighter’s warm-up for an all-British showdown with Tyson Fury.

This week, however, it was confirmed that the 36-year-old Joshua, 29-4 (26 KOs), will return to the ring on July 25, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to take on the unknown Kristian Prenga before scrapping with Fury later in the year. Wilder, 45-4-1 (43 KOs), wasn’t exactly holding his breath, though.

“Can’t be disappointed about something that never was,” Finkel told Sky Sports. “Eddie never reached out to us and Joshua obviously had no intention of fighting Deontay Wilder. Same old story, just a new date.”

The pair not fighting in the previous decade – when both were unbeaten heavyweight titlists and a fight between them would have crowned an undisputed champion – was a ridiculous situation. Each camp blamed the other for the failures.

[keithmoonhangover]

Anthony Joshua ‘obviously had no intention’ of fighting Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder was never in the running to face Anthony Joshua this year and that’s fine with him, claims Shelly Finkel, the “Bronze Bomber’s” manager.

Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champion long linked to “AJ”, reinvigorated his career earlier this month with a 12-round points victory over fellow veteran Derek Chisora. Joshua watched on from ringside inside London, England's O2 Arena and was called out by Wilder in the aftermath.

It briefly triggered speculation that Wilder, 40, and Joshua might soon fight, many years after the contest would have been one of the most eagerly awaited in boxing history. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, even teased that Wilder, 45-4-1 (43 KOs), could be his fighter’s warm-up for an all-British showdown with Tyson Fury.

This week, however, it was confirmed that the 36-year-old Joshua, 29-4 (26 KOs), will return to the ring on July 25, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to take on the unknown Kristian Prenga before scrapping with Fury later in the year. Wilder, 45-4-1 (43 KOs), wasn’t exactly holding his breath, though.

“Can’t be disappointed about something that never was,” Finkel told Sky Sports. “Eddie never reached out to us and Joshua obviously had no intention of fighting Deontay Wilder. Same old story, just a new date.”

The pair not fighting in the previous decade – when both were unbeaten heavyweight titlists and a fight between them would have crowned an undisputed champion – was a ridiculous situation. Each camp blamed the other for the failures.

So Shelly didn't reach out to Eddie either then. He sounds like our lass, "Christine hasn't text me for two weeks". "Have you called her?". "No, because she hasn't called me."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Deontay Wilder not contacted for Anthony Joshua fight: ‘Can’t be disappointed about something that never was’

Deontay Wilder had been linked to a potential fight with Anthony Joshua this summer before AJ's clash with Tyson Fury; Joshua will now box unheralded Albanian Kristian Prenga on July 25; But Shelly Finkel, Wilder's manager, said he "can't be disappointed about something that never was"

Deontay Wilder will not lament missing out on a potential bout with Anthony Joshua once again.

America's Wilder, the former WBC world heavyweight champion, had been floated as a possible opponent for AJ this summer by Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn.

Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing, suggested they would consider Joshua boxing Wilder before fighting Tyson Fury later on in 2026.

Joshua will box next in July, but that will come against unheralded Albanian Kristian Prenga in Riyadh rather than Wilder.

Shelly Finkel, the American's manager, is adamant that Wilder has not been frustrated by missing out on fighting Joshua this summer.

"Can't be disappointed about something that never was," Finkel told Sky Sports.

"Eddie never reached out to us and Joshua obviously had no intention of fighting Deontay Wilder.

"Same old story, just a new date."

Matchroom declined to comment when contacted by Sky Sports.

Joshua and Wilder have been close to reaching an agreement in the past.

Back in 2019, when their bout would have been for the undisputed heavyweight world champion, it seemed briefly inevitable, only for Joshua to lose to Andy Ruiz, a defeat which AJ would go on to avenge.

More recently they boxed on the same bill when Joshua took out Otto Wallin in 2023. Only on that occasion Wilder slipped up and unexpectedly lost to Joseph Parker.

Wilder boxed in the UK earlier this month when he defeated Derek Chisora and will look for further opportunities.

The American has also been linked to a potential fight with unified heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk.

"It can happen and it will happen," Wilder previously told Sky Sports. "Unless he retires and if so that's fine with me. I must accomplish what I set forth in the beginning of my career.

"Why not make goals while you're inside of the ring? I have. Unifying the division would be an overwhelming feeling for me. That's something that I never had the opportunity to have."

He added: "I hear a lot of things. I don't keep up with too much. I hear he wants to fight me and then all of a sudden he doesn't want to fight me. You really don't know what to believe when you're in the business of boxing.

"He's one of the best in the era. I do need him to accomplish what I need to accomplish."