Deontay Wilder ready to agree deal to fight Anthony Joshua NEXT as American’s manager slams Dillian Whyte rematch talk
DEONTAY WILDER is willing to do whatever it takes to fight Anthony Joshua next and cancel out a rematch with Dillian Whyte.
Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed AJ and Whyte are in line to complete a hat-trick of bouts between them sometime in 2023.
But Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel CONFIRMED the American is ready to return right into a super-fight with Joshua, 33.
Even if that means surrendering their WBC title eliminator bout against Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, such is their desperation to finally face AJ.
Finkel told SunSport: “We might fight Ruiz, because Joshua won’t fight us, but we will fight Joshua next.
“The biggest fight for either is with us, maybe in your era the biggest fight is Joshua versus Fury, but Fury is fighting Oleksandr Usyk next.
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“If Joshua is ready or willing to fight us next, that is what we want and we will give anything to fight him.
“This has been a five-year campaign and each time they always try to say we have avoided it.
“Right now is the 28th of November, we’re saying why not fight next? Let’s just make the fight.”
If Hearn is insists on Joshua rematching Whyte, 34, before fighting Wilder, 37, Finkel is open to at least making it official.
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He said: “If you’re telling us you want a fight first before us, then sign to fight after, let’s make a deal.”
Whyte set up a potential rematch with Joshua after edging past Jermaine Franklin, 29, in a disputed majority decision victory.
It was his second win in four fights, following knockout losses to Tyson Fury, 34, and Alexander Povetkin, 43.
So Finkel slammed the idea of Joshua returning against Whyte, when a deal is there to be made with Wilder.
The Hall of Famer said: “He says Joshua will fight Deontay after their next fight, why?
If Joshua is ready or willing to fight us next, that is what we want and we will give anything to fight him.
Deontay Wilder's manager Shelly Finkel
“They want to fight Dillian Whyte, who yesterday was in a questionable win.
“The fight before that, he got knocked out, and two fights before that he got knocked out.
“How does the press and anyone else rationalise Joshua fighting someone like that in his next fight?
“And if they say, ‘We’re definitely fighting Deontay after’ why isn’t there an agreement done?”
Joshua has taken a break from boxing after consecutive losses to Usyk, 35, while Wilder knocked out Robert Helenius, 38, in his October return.
In the past, TV network and promotional allegiances have seen a fight between AJ and the Bronze Bomber fall by the wayside.
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But Finkel is adamant all parties – from their side at least – are on board to finally strike an agreement with the opposition.
He said: “Deontay, Shelly Finkel and PBC are willing to make a fight for Deontay to fight Joshua next.”