Deontay Wilder Ignored Anthony Joshua’s Fight Offering and Criticised The British’s Career
FightersTalkTV.com – Deontay Wilder has ignored the offer of a fight against Anthony Joshua that was sent by Eddi Hearn. The manager, Shelly Finkel admitted that he avoided Hearn’s approach to organise a mouth-watering clash between Wilder and AJ, instead choosing to focus on the American’s upcoming fight with Finland’s Robert Helenius.
“It’s come out a few times by Eddie Hearn that I avoided him. That’s partially true, well it’s wholly true. We have a fight coming up with Robert Helenius. Eddie emailed me, “Can we talk? I have some big (offer) for Deontay,” Finkel told talkSPORT.
“Right now we have the Helenius fight, that’s all we need to concentrate on. Because if something went wrong there, nothing else would be. And if it goes right, it’ll all get worked out.
“And I felt if I got on a call with Eddie, the next thing you would be on the call to me, “Oh, did you and Eddie talk?” So I said to Deontay and Al Haymon, “What do you think?” And they said, “Let’s just get this fight out of the way.”
Shelly Finkel (left) admitted to avoiding an offer of an Anthony Joshua fight from Eddie Hearn
Shelly Finkel (left) admitted to avoiding an offer of an Anthony Joshua fight from Eddie Hearn.
“And sure enough, [Hearn says], “Shelly didn’t even talk to me.” I think he also has this feeling that I dislike Eddie. No. I don’t always agree with him, we’re on opposite sides, he has a fighter who will hopefully be an opponent for one of my guys, in this case Deontay, and it’s nothing of the sort.
“Barry Hearn and I, we go back 30/40 years and it’s always been very cordial. And the Eddie thing, look, he’s been around not as long as he thinks he has, but he’s done some really exciting good things, so I give him credit for that.
“And when it comes time to make a deal, it’ll get done, or not. It got done with Wladimir Klitschko and now he seems to be on a path to fight Tyson Fury, I wish him well.”
Tyson Fury is expected to square off with AJ on December 3 in the most highly-anticipated bout in the history of the division, with the final contracts being sent out last week. Meanwhile, Wilder is set to fight Helenius on October 3, and Oleksandr Usyk is keen on setting up a meeting with Wilder.
Wilder and his people are focusing on an upcoming fight in October against Robert Helenius
Wilder and his people are focusing on an upcoming fight in October against Robert Helenius.
The Ukrainian holds the WBO, WBA and IBF belts and seemed close to a clash with Fury, before the Gypsy King seemed to switch his focus to an all British showdown with Joshua.
And Usyk has also turned his gaze elsewhere, identifying Wilder as his next potential opponent, declaring that he wants to be ringside for his clash with the Finnish fighter next month.
“The other day we got a message that Usyk will fight us if Joshua goes the route of Fury, yeah, we’re open to that, we’re not opposed to that at all,” Finkel added.
“And if not, there’s Andy Ruiz Jr, there’s several other options.
“In my mind, until the Fury [vs Joshua] thing came, I was thinking that after the fight with Helenius we would be talking, Eddie and I, but things happen.”
Wilder Criticised AJ Career
Meanwhile, Deontay Wilder has criticised Anthony Joshua’s career and suggested it has been made for him. Wilder added that while he respects Joshua as a person, in a “business” sense he doesn’t like him.
“Y’all gon’ make me strike up a blunt, man,” Wilder told Brian Custer on The Last Stand Podcast. “The things I’ve been saying before, many things I’ve been saying before. They made Anthony Joshua. They made him.
“This has nothing to do with, ‘oh he don’t like him’, nah it ain’t that, know what I’m sayin’? I don’t like him in a business sense.
Deontay Wilder has not fought since he lost for the second time in a row to Tyson Fury in 2021
Deontay Wilder has not fought since he lost for the second time in a row to Tyson Fury in 2021.
“As a person, Anthony Joshua as a man, as a person, I don’t have nothing that I dislike as a person, but as a businessman, in this business? I don’t like him at all.
“I don’t like the antics of business and how they conduct business because this is a gladiator business. Again, personally, I have nothing against him. Personally, I don’t know him as a man.
“As far as business is concerned, I don’t care nothing for him. But they made him. From the Olympics to the pro rankings. You know that. Business is business. We’re born to do it. Not made it. For me, a lot of people agree they gave him, even with the Olympics they gave him that medal. With these belts, they bought a lot of these belts.
“There’s nothing wrong with that because a lot of people buy certain positions, certain things, whatever. So if you have the money or whatever then go do it. But I think the way they move him and prepared him for certain moments that he was not ready for.”
Wilder, 36, returns for the first time since his consecutive knockout losses to Tyson Fury when he fights former sparring partner Helenius on October 15. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ considered retiring from boxing after losing twice to Fury, but insisted his “job is not done” in the heavyweight division as he looks to become a two-time champion.
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