ANTHONY JOSHUA is adamant a fight with Deontay Wilder would still do ‘amazing numbers’ despite the American’s wide defeat to Joseph Parker in Riyadh.
Joshua and Wilder had agreed to fight in 2024 but both had to win their fights on Saturday’s stacked Day of Reckoning card in order to set up boxing’s most long-anticipated showdown.
However Parker spoiled those plans by outboxing Wilder to secure a lopsided unanimous decision while Joshua later crushed Otto Wallin in five rounds.
But despite their differing fortunes in Saudi, Joshua insists not all hope is lost of securing a future fight with Wilder.
He said: “I’m not too sure what can happen from here but I’m sure from a fan’s perspective they will be more annoyed. For me, I always understand how this game is. You never know, this is elite level boxing and the Day of Reckoning was an amazing card. Wilder just came up short but he will live to fight another day.
“Me and him can still get it on, we can still get it cracking. I believe I’m a massive threat, I still think Wilder is a threat and I still think it does amazing numbers if we get it on. I’ll leave it down to my managers, trainers and promoters. I’m down to fight anyone, whenever and whoever.”
While Wilder, in only his second fight in two years, looked a shadow of his former self, Joshua produced one of the single best performances of his career as he busted up and stopped Wallin.
Following his two 2023 victories training under Derrick James, this was Joshua’s first fight alongside new coach Ben Davison and the Londoner says his influence was key to this destructive return to form.
“He’s a scholar of the game,” Joshua said of Davison. “When we spoke he saw what I’ve been trying to achieve in the business. You know when someone understands you and a lightbulb comes on and you finally get it? That was it.
“He still pushed me towards trying to achieve what I’m achieving. He hasn’t tried to change me. He still pushed me towards what I’m trying to achieve but because he knows boxing he knows what I’m trying to do and knows how to get it out of me. He switched a light bulb on for me this training camp. I wanted to stay at Finchley and not train at Harlow but I went down there. It has been good.”
This outing in Riyadh made 2023 the first year in which Joshua has boxed three times since back in 2016, when he beat Charles Martin for the IBF title before successful defences against Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina.
Now the 34-year-old can look ahead to a huge 2024 for the heavyweight division, with Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk scheduled to meet on February 17 to decide the No.1.
Joshua added: “I’ll try and be here for that. I tend not to go to many fights but Saudi is putting on some really good shows and that’s an iconic fight so I’ll try and get out here with my team. I think it’s going to be a really really good fight and I’m leaning towards Usyk but who knows? They are both at the top of their game and I wish them and hope they have great training camps. Once that fight is out of the way, the heavyweight division opens up again.”
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