Deontay Wilder continues to find a potential confrontation with Anthony Joshua intriguing, though certainly to a significantly lesser degree than before.
It appears these two athletes have been on a path toward a collision for nearly seven years, yet their significant heavyweight bout has consistently failed to materialize, always seemingly just awaiting final agreements.
By the close of 2023, it genuinely seemed as though both former world champions were incredibly close to finally engaging in their long-anticipated contest.
However, while Joshua, with a record of 28-4 (25 KOs), navigated his fight against Otto Wallin comfortably, Wilder, whose record stood at 43-4-1 (42 KOs), unexpectedly suffered a decisive points loss to Joseph Parker.
This outcome led to the cancellation of their tentatively scheduled spectacle for the subsequent year, resulting in the two powerful fighters pursuing different paths.
Regarding Joshua`s recent activity, a forceful second-round knockout victory over Francis Ngannou was followed by a tough defeat, this time handed to him by Daniel Dubois, last September.
Meanwhile, Wilder was stopped within five rounds by Zhilei Zhang over a year ago, prompting many observers to cast doubt on his capability at the highest level of the sport.
Nevertheless, the 39-year-old is preparing for a comeback fight this Friday in Kansas, taking on Tyrrell Herndon, who is considered a relatively unknown opponent, at the Charles Koch Arena.
For Joshua, several heavyweight contenders, including Wilder himself, have been suggested as potential opponents for his expected return later this year.
Until any official confirmation arrives, `The Bronze Bomber` stated he is refraining from getting his hopes up, while simultaneously indicating his diminishing interest in what remains, despite everything, a potentially profitable fight.
He expressed, “As long as we are competing in the same weight class, there will always be a chance for the fight; discussions will inevitably continue.”
“But currently, I don`t experience the same level of excitement I once did. This is simply a situation that will occur if and when the time is right.”
Wilder concluded, “They have already indicated that they would not be concerned if they never fought me – and I accept that. I am not dedicating any energy to this unless we are physically inside the boxing ring. Otherwise, it`s purely speculation.”
