Toba Owojaiye Reporting
The highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder has hit another delay, pushing the fight’s potential date to March. Initially, Joshua had aimed for a showdown in the Middle East in either December or January, but due to unforeseen circumstances, he will engage in an interim bout before taking on Wilder in the spring.
Joshua’s most recent victory came in August when he defeated Robert Helenius, though later it was revealed that Helenius had failed a pre-fight drug test. Moreover, Joshua is in the running for a shot at the IBF world title, which might become vacant after Tyson Fury’s upcoming undisputed match against Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has expressed that Joshua is eager to fight and is closely monitoring the IBF situation. He believes that a bout with Wilder realistically won’t happen until March or April at the latest, but Joshua is keen to return to the ring, even as early as December.
In the past three years, Joshua has engaged in four fights, securing two wins and suffering two losses. His recent setbacks came in title contests against Usyk, but he rebounded with victories over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.
Despite the ongoing delays, Joshua remains unfazed and ready to face any opponent. He acknowledges the importance of keeping heavyweight boxing in the spotlight. Meanwhile, Deontay Wilder has been less active, with only two fights in the past two years, following back-to-back losses to Tyson Fury, who has yet to defend his WBC belt since last December.
This heavyweight clash between the powerful one-punch southpaw contender Wilder and the well-rounded boxing style of AJ Joshua is eagerly awaited, promising to be a match talked about for years to come, as expectations are running high.