Joshua vs Wilder – It appears that the heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder is getting close to being set for London. Wilder has apparently agreed to travel to London for the fight and British promoter Eddie Hearn stated this week that he had shipped Wilder the contracts. The books had been carrying different prospective lines for the match-up depending on whether it happened in the USA or the U.K.
Wilder holds the WBC world heavyweight title while Joshua has grabbed the WBA, WBO and IBF versions of the heavyweight world title. Without a doubt, a unification bout for the four major world titles is the most appealing fight on the planet. It would be undefeated champion against undefeated champion, and both men have knocked out everybody that has been put in front of him. The hype machine for this one is already built!
Until the contracts are signed and in hand, the fight is not official. Everybody is saying “yes” to the fight on the internet but that is not a signed contract, as the shrewd promoter Hearn has pointed out. We will see if this gets done once the papers are in hand.
Check out “Joshua vs Wilder in 2018?” for a look at the fight odds before this week’s breakthroughs.
Joshua vs Wilder
Though an agreement between Joshua and Wilder appears close, there is the matter of mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin to consider. Povetkin, 34-1, has been carrying regional belts with the WBA and WBO for the last three fights and that lines him up to be Joshua’s number one contender.
Povetkin was once Wilder’s number one contender for the WBC belt. The two were signed to fight and Wilder was on his way to Russia for the fight and the bigget payday of his life until Povetkin blew hot on a steroid test. Povetkin had a shot at an interim WBC belt against Bermaine Stiverne fall apart after another hot test so Povetkin is out with both Wilder and the WBC.
In the whacky world of international boxing, Povetkin simply tuned to the WBA and WBO and started paying sanctioning fees with them. Povetkin has grabbed regional belts with both of those sanctioning bodies and he is now considered the number one contender for Anthony Joshua’s WBA title. Povetkin is 34-1, with his only loss coming against Wladimir Klitschko back in October of 2013. He has earned a world title shot again if you forget about the steroid allegations, and as a former gold medalist in the Olympics, Povetkin vs Joshua is a credible fight. Povetkin is unlikely to stand aside and wait for Wilder to get his shot, he will be pushing to fight Joshua next.
Promoter Hearn also has Joseph Parker taking on Dillian Whyte in July. Both men are once beaten in their careers, with that lone loss coming to Anthony Joshua. That fight may be an audition for a rematch with Joshua and that could serve as Hearn’s back-up plan if Joshua does not face Wilder or Povetkin next.
It is looking closer to coming to fruition, but Joshua vs Wilder is not done yet. September in Wembley Stadum is being floated as a potential date, with the current odds at the books as they stand today.
Sat 9/29 – Wembley Stadium – London, England
Heavyweight 12 rounds –
Deontay Wilder +170
Anthony Joshua -230
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