WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has ‘declared war’ on Anthony Joshua and urged Eddie Hearn to put him in a package with Dillian Whyte.
The rivalry between Wilder and AJ has been boiling over for sometime now with both fighters seemingly desperate for the unification bout to happen.
‘As soon as Anthony Joshua accepts the fight, then I’ll be there,’ Wilder told the Telegraph.
The Brit is also keen on the fight and plans a summer showdown with Wilder next year. After he defended his belts against a spirited Carlos Takam in Cardiff last week, he said: ‘Boxing needs it and so do I, 100 per cent.’
But first Wilder must successfully defend his WBC heavyweight crown against Bermane Stiverne on Saturday.
Despite the unbeaten Alabama fighter facing Haitian Stiverne in a rematch of their January 2015 battle, he has directed as much if not more verbal traffic towards Joshua, the IBF and WBA Super champion, during this week’s lead-up.
The American, who has 37 knockouts in 38 fights, is short of a big name on his resume and is craving the chance to prove himself as the world’s best.
‘I’ve called out every name in the sport. All the top guys have ducked me, so I just have to take care of the people that are able to get in the ring,’ said Wilder, who has had three fights cancelled in the past 18 months because of opponents failing drugs tests.
One person who certainly would not duck at the chance to get in the ring with Wilder is Dillian Whyte, who put himself in the shop window with a points win over Robert Helenius last Saturday, and Wilder is happy to deal with him first to get to Joshua.
‘I declare war. I am declaring war upon AJ. I will not chase him. We are going to lure you in, you can only run for so long and so far. Eddie Hearn can say what he wants. Let me help you. You want me to fight Dillian Whyte and I want Joshua. Put them in a package and let me fight. I will knock out Whyte easy. I could do it with one hand tied behind my back.
‘The ultimate goal is to get Joshua. We’re not just going to be sitting up here and doing this and doing that. Joshua says he needs more time; he ain’t ready. He wants to put himself in a better position. But you already fought a guy [Wladimir Klitschko] that got way more experience than I do. I don’t understand this sport when it comes to me. It feels like I’m better off not being in this sport than being in it. I don’t understand it.
‘I just want to prove to the world that I am the best. That’s all I want to do. but if the best don’t want to fight, what’s the point of me being in this sport? If Bermane beats me you all don’t have to hear about me no more. I will be done.’
Despite the outcry from fans to see these two heavyweight giants collide in the ring, the WBC have not been so accommodating and put an impediment in the road to unification by insisting the winner of the eliminator between Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina – who fight on Wilder’s undercard – will provide the next mandatory challenger.
That prospect is irritating to both champions – Joshua has already beaten both of them and Wilder knocked out Molina in his defence back in June 2015.
Joshua understands being champion comes with these necessary dealings but remains confident the fight will happen.
Despite the outcry from fans to see these two heavyweight giants collide in the ring, the WBC have not been so accommodating and put an impediment in the road to unification by insisting the winner of the eliminator between Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina – who fight on Wilder’s undercard – will provide the next mandatory challenger.
That prospect is irritating to both champions – Joshua has already beaten both of them and Wilder knocked out Molina in his defence back in June 2015.
Joshua understands being champion comes with these necessary dealings but remains confident the fight will happen.
