Joshua Offered World Title Shot

Frank Warren has urged Anthony Joshua to step into the ring with WBO Heavyweight Champion Fabio Wardley, saying he is ready to finalize a deal. 

Joshua is coming off a sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul after which he called out Tyson Fury. The Gypsy King, however, is currently retired, hanging up his gloves in January following back-to-back losses to unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, however he did say he would un-retire to face Joshua “if the deal is right”. Meanwhile, Wardley became the champ after he was elevated from the WBO interim belt following his Joseph Parker win to a full champion once Usyk vacated rather than facing Fabio, who was the mandatory.

Warren declared he is ready to finalize a deal immediately—even joking that he would have visited Joshua’s house on Christmas Day to get the contract signed. However, Joshua would lose out on the Fury fight if he came up short against Wardley. Although Wardley offers a world title, the Fury fight is much bigger commercially. Warren said he is ready to make the fight happen. 

“Fight Fabio Wardley, do it tomorrow, sign it tomorrow. If he says yes, I’ll go round to his house right now. Christmas Day I’ll go round there, and we will get the deal done. Why wouldn’t you do it? You said you want to fight for a world title, fight Fabio Wardley. In the meantime, if you’re not [wanting to fight for a world title] and you want to wait for Tyson, then wait for Tyson,” Warren said