Over to You Anthony… The Biggest Heavyweight Fight of the Decade is One Step Closer…
We’re one signature away from one of the biggest heavyweight fights of all time. Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder, for the Unified Heavyweight championship of the world. The winner will be the first heavyweight to hold the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF titles simultaneously.
It had looked like their inability to reach an agreement would mean that Joshua would have to fight mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin next, but because a unification fight always takes precedence, that could now be pushed back. Let’s hope so because this fight needs to happen.
Nothing beats a heavyweight showdown with massive implications. If the pair gets the deal signed, it will be without a doubt, the biggest fight of 2018, and possibly of the last ten years. It will also appease fans who were upset by ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Gennady Golovkin 2 being canceled. This is the showdown we all want.
🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨 for all you @anthonyfjoshua fans… The $50M offer for him to fight me next in the US is still available. Today I even agreed to their offer to fight Joshua next in the UK. If he prefers the fight in the UK, the ball is in their court. It’s up to them to choose. pic.twitter.com/03PE8sk5x0
— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) June 11, 2018
Latecomers
Both men came to boxing at relatively late ages. Joshua was arrested for drug-dealing as a young man in Watford, UK. Boxing was a way for him to clean up his act and do something meaningful with his life. A supreme athlete, his physical conditioning is phenomenal, he won Olympic Gold in 2012 and is the IBF, WBO, WBF, and IBO champion.
Meanwhile, Wilder truly began to focus on his boxing career after one of his daughters was born with spina bifida. He needed a way to pay the bills and put his heart and soul into the sport. It’s a truly inspiring story. The Missouri native is known for his phenomenal knockout power.
Both men have immaculate professional records. Wilder has been around the professional circuit much longer and is currently 40-0 overall. However, Joshua, who is an Olympic champion, is 21-0, coming off the back of a win over New Zealander Joseph Parker.
Statement
Wilder released a statement about the upcoming fight, saying that he had accepted the terms and that the ball was now in Joshua’s court to get it all sorted out. You can see that video above. Meanwhile, Shelly Finkel, Wilder’s co-manager has told ESPN:
“We have agreed to the terms that Eddie (Hearn, Joshua’s Promoter) has put out to us for a fight in the U.K. Deontay has accepted his terms to fight in the UK. Deontay sent an email to Joshua, Sunday night, and I sent one to Barry Hearn and Eddie telling them that we officially accept the offer to fight under the terms they gave us and to send us the contract.”
It really doesn’t look like there’s much more to do on this one. Everything seems to be in Joshua’s favor. He has to sign or be accused of running. Watch this space.
Legacy
This fight is about legacy as much as money. Of course, the millions that both men will earn is a massive part of it, but the prize is even bigger. The winner will have achieved a place in history forever. Wilder’s coach, Jay Deas explained:
“He wants this for the fans and he wants this for his legacy and he knows that being the undisputed heavyweight champ of the world will give him the financial gain as he proceeds. Even though we would have liked a better deal, Deontay said yes.”
Thank you Deontay. We appreciate you. This is going to be such an unpredictable fight. Arguably Joshua is the better boxer, but Wilder has phenomenal power and nous. It’s going to be fascinating. Who have you got to win?
