Deontay Wilder Open to Anthony Joshua Showdown Next Year

Shelly Finkel, co-manager to heavyweight contender Deontay Wilder, has notified the boxing world that the Bronze Bomber is ready to take on the British star, Anthony Joshua in 2023.

Wilder returned with the bang earlier this month when he put Robert Helenius in disarray with a one-punch knockout in the very first round of the fight.

Wilder, who was making his comeback after back-to-back losses to the current WBC champ, Tyson Fury made sure that his return was memorable. And with this win, the Alabama native has once again found himself in title contention.

Now with Wilder in for another title run, his co-manager Finkel has listed possible opponents who could face the Bronze Bomber next. And to top that list is the former heavyweight champ, Joshua.

Both sets of teams have been involved in a fair bit of negotiation in the last couple of months, with Finkel claiming that Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, had been pushing for a bout between the two heavyweights, but he advised him that Wilder was focused on Helenius’s bout, and will answer the queries related to his future afterwards.

“A couple of months ago, Eddie Hearn sent us a letter, and we said the most important thing is Deontay training and doing what he did [with Helenius],” Finkel told Fight Hub TV.

“Now that he’s done it, we’ll see if Eddie will come with the truckloads of money he said and the Joshua deal that he said. We’re here. He knows how to reach us, so we’ll see. We’ll see if [the knockout of Helenius] changed his mind.”

Joshua is likely to step again into the ring in early 2023.

The former titleholder has been linked with potential fights with Wilder, Dillian Whyte and Otto Wallin.

Wilder admits a fight with Joshua should have taken place several years ago – when they were both world champions.

He still feels strongly that a showdown with the British star is still one of the biggest fights in boxing.

“Me and Joshua should have fought years ago, I could have been the undisputed champion. The chance isn’t gone, we are both still in the business of fighting so that opportunity will always be there,” Wilder told The Good Fight.