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Tag: Wilder

  • Wilder jabs Joshua on long-awaited showdown

    Wilder jabs Joshua on long-awaited showdown

    Deontay Wilder has sensationally claimed that Anthony Joshua would have retired rather than fight him had the Bronze Bomber beaten Joseph Parker in order to set up a long-awaited showdown.

    The two heavyweights were due to finally face off in March next year after agreeing a deal, though both had to overcome testing bouts in Saudi Arabia on Saturday’s Day of Reckoning first.

    But Wilder was out-punched and dominated by Parker, with all three judges scoring the bout in the Kiwi’s favour – a shock result that torpedoed any potential for a fight against Joshua.

    AJ, the co-headliner in Riyadh, took on Otto Wallin mere minutes later and had no issues, dismantling the Swede and breaking his nose before he retired on his stool.

    A fight against Filip Hrgovic for the potentially vacant IBF belt now looks like Joshua’s most likely next move, though Wilder insists the Brit never wanted to face him and would have tried to back out of their bout had he managed to beat Parker – and even took credit for AJ’s dominant display against Wallin.

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    “They really don’t want that fight,” Wilder told 78SPORTSTV. “When I lost, did you see how happy he was coming out?

    “I broke out laughing, I said, ‘He’s happy as f***!’ I made him able to perform like that.

    ”He was like, ‘I ain’t gotta fight Wilder.’ The rumour was he was talking about retiring if I won.

    “March 9th , the fight still can go on. But this is a perfect way for them to get out.”

    Wilder also downplayed Parker’s performance and felt his defeat was purely down to a lack of activity, having only spent three minutes inside the ring across the last two years.

    “My timing was off because of inactivity. I’m disappointed because I know I’m a way better fighter than him,” he continued.” I hurt him a few times, but certain shots I didn’t take. It was hesitation and I couldn’t understand why.

    “He has no business beating me at all, not even on a magnificent day for him. He didn’t do nothing, neither of us really did anything.

    Directly after the fight, Wilder had been somewhat vague on whether he would continue boxing but he shut down suggestions he would retire in an Instagram post, saying ‘we’ll be back’ in an apology to his fans.

  • Wilder eyes ‘biggest fight’ against Joshua

    Wilder eyes ‘biggest fight’ against Joshua

    Former WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder has said a fight with Anthony Joshua has never been closer as he builds up to his fight with Joseph Parker

    Deontay Wilder is “looking through” Joseph Parker to a potential fight with Anthony Joshua that looms ahead of him for 2024.

    Both Joshua and Wilder are boxing on the same bill on Saturday against different opponents, with the expectation that they will finally fight in Saudi Arabia next year.

    “That’s the biggest fight in the world,” Wilder told Sky Sports. “Now the moment has come where it’s the closest that it’s ever been in history right now. The closest that it’s ever been.

    Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder shared an awkward hand shake at a press conference after their separate fights in Saudi Arabia were announced

    “I’m excited to say that. I’m not 100 percent sure that it’s going to happen. There’s a lot of things that has gone on, a lot of things that has been done.

    “You can’t be 100 percent until that bell rings and that first punch has been thrown.”

    Wilder and Joshua have been linked for much of their professional careers, with substantive talks for a fight taking place as far back as 2018 when the pair held all four of the major world titles between them.

    Tyson Fury dismissed the significance of Anthony Joshua’s potential bout with fellow heavyweight Deontay Wilder and labelled the fight as a ‘battle of losers’

    “It’s been that way for a very long time. That fight, it’s a situation where it’s been hot and cold and every time the talks happened, it always gets back hot and then somehow it would die back down, it don’t happen,” Wilder said.

    Read Also: Wilder slams Joshua for ‘manipulating’ ticket sales

    “If I said I wasn’t frustrated I would be lying. It definitely has been a frustrating time and moment for me.”

    He claimed: “In my eyes you’ve got one fighter that really, really wants it and then on the other side you’ve got another fighter that don’t want it equally as bad as the other.”

    Wilder though insisted  it won’t be distraction ahead of his fight with Joseph Parker that is happening this Saturday.

    “You definitely don’t want to take anyone for granted. You don’t want to look past anyone. I’m not looking past Joseph. There are a lot of talks about other things that’s not related to him and I want people to understand I’m not looking past him,” the American said.

    “Sometimes it’s okay to look through a fighter. It’s just like window shopping you’re going to the mall and you see that nice outfit or shoes or anything that you want, you’re just window shopping right until it’s time to be able to get it.

    “So I’m window shopping but I’m not looking past him.

    “Right now it’s about Joseph Parker and me getting him out the way and then we’ll see what happens from that point on.”

  • Wilder slams Joshua for ‘manipulating’ ticket sales

    Wilder slams Joshua for ‘manipulating’ ticket sales

    Deontay Wilder has accused Anthony Joshua of using “one of the oldest tricks in the book” when it comes to selling tickets.

    AJ has proven to be one of the biggest boxing stars of recent years, headlining at Wembley, the Principality and Tottenham’s stadium.

    But rival Wilder has accused Joshua’s team of manipulating the ticket sales by buying them out and issuing them on for free.

    He said on The Last Stand: “I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it again, it’s a difference between champions being born and being made.

    “Joshua was made, he was a made fighter. They bought things, they gave him things.

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    “Even with certain things, with the arena, ‘Oh, they sold this’. No, you didn’t sell out nothing. You clomped tickets and you resold them.

    “I know how the whole game works. I’m behind scenes. I know how things work.

    “You wanted it to seem like it sold out, you put your tickets out there, and you build your own little ticket thing and you buy all your tickets.

    “Now it seems like you sold out the arena. What you do? All you do is put it back on the market and resell it.

    “It’s one of the oldest tricks in the book, when it comes to the business and now people on the outside looking in, ‘Oh my God, they sold out faster than Michael f****ng Jackson’.

    “Are you serious? That’s how it is. That’s how the trick is done.”

    Wilder, 38, and Joshua, 34, prepare to share the same card in Saudi Arabia next Saturday.

    AJ faces Otto Wallin, 32, while Wilder returns after over two years out against ex-WBO champion Joseph Parker, 31.

    Should both heavyweight superstars win, it will set up a blockbuster years in the making as Wilder assured fans he still has a lot left to give.

    He said: “I’m young. I just turned 38 but we have got to understand that I started very late. I started at 21.

    “I haven’t had much damage on me. I’m still sexy, I still talk very well, and I handle business very well. I’m still energetic.

    “I think I’m a seasoned fighter right now. I’m seasoned right now and a lot of people will see it come December 23rd, what I mean by that.”

  • Wilder replaces sacked Heckingbottom at Sheffield United

    Wilder replaces sacked Heckingbottom at Sheffield United

    Bottom club Sheffield United yesterday  parted ways with Paul Heckingbottom with former manager Chris Wilder returning to lead the Premier League club’s battle against relegation.

    Heckingbottom is the first Premier League managerial casualty this term, although Julen Lopetegui left Wolverhampton Wanderers three days before the start of the season.

    “Firstly, on behalf of the board of directors, I’d like to thank Paul for all of his efforts at Sheffield United, firstly as U23s manager before stepping up to take control of first-team duties,” United’s CEO Stephen Bettis said in a statement.

    “His professionalism and dedication have been a credit to the club and I’m sure all Unitedites enjoyed the promotion-winning campaign. However, after slipping to the bottom of the table and a number of disappointing results and performances, it is felt that a change is needed to give the club a boost and every possible chance of remaining in the Premier League.”

    Wilder will be in the technical area for today’s home clash with Liverpool after agreeing an 18-month contract.

    A former Sheffield United player, Wilder guided the Yorkshire club back to the Premier League in 2019 after consecutive promotions and achieved a ninth-place finish having at one stage been in contention for European qualification.

    However, the second season proved more difficult and Wilder left the club in 2021.

    “Quite simply it was an opportunity which I just couldn’t turn down. Just like in 2016, when this club comes calling, it is not something you pass up,” he told the club’s website. “This is Sheffield United, it is my team and I am thrilled to be back. We find ourselves in a difficult position, I understand that, but I think I can make a difference.”

    United are bottom of the table with just one win all season and have five points from 14 games.

    They were handed an embarrassing 8-0 home thrashing by Newcastle United in September while lowly Burnley beat them 5-0 at Turf Moor on Saturday.

    Bettis said Wilder’s familiarity with the squad gives them a chance of turning around the season.

    Read Also: EPL: Sheffield Utd sack Heckingbottom, appoint former manager Wilder

    “His love for United and desire to improve the current situation is undeniable, added to the fact that he knows the majority of the squad and the club’s DNA, which will help him hit the ground running,” he said.

    Earlier on Tuesday, the club’s owner Prince Abdullah told radio station Talk Sport that Wilder was “the best guy on the planet to take over the club.”

    “Chris is practically an honour of the club, he’s part of Sheffield United history,” Prince Abudullah added.

    Heckingbottom’s departure had become inevitable although the managerial revolving door has been quiet this season with clubs resisting the urge to part ways with their coaches.

    At this stage last season five Premier League managers had already lost their jobs — Scott Parker (Bournemouth), Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea), Bruno Lage (Wolves), Steven Gerrard (Aston Villa) and Ralph Hasenhuettl (Southampton).

    By the end of the season there had been a Premier League record 14 managerial changes.

  • Joshua, Wilder to fight Nov or Dec – Hearn

    Eddie Hearn says he is optimistic about the chances of Anthony Joshua facing Deontay Wilder in a highly anticipated heavyweight unification fight later this year.

    The two fighters have been unable to agree to terms for some time, with the Bronze Bomber instead opting to fight Tyson Fury in a thrilling split-draw – though a rematch will not happen with Wilder having a WBC-mandated title defence against Dominic Breazeale instead.

    Joshua, meanwhile, fights Jarrell Miller at Madison Square Garden in June, though promoter Hearn is increasingly hopeful that the two will come face-to-face in November or December of 2019.

    Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: ‘It’s very encouraging. I’m not going to say too much on it, because I don’t want to jinx anything. ‘But I think there’s an opportunity there for someone to be a mediator to get the fight done.

    ‘Clearly, the relationship between Team Wilder and Team Joshua is not the best. I think this is a route that is going to be very beneficial to the making of that undisputed fight. It’s not just about doing a deal with Wilder, it’s about doing a deal with Joshua.

    ‘They’ve got their work cut out, but the pieces are coming together. There’s a long way to go but we’ll see where it goes. ‘Now I think there’s a strategy in place that could lead us to the undisputed fight. There’s a clear desire from both sides to make the fight.’ He added: ‘If an undisputed fight gets made, it will be November or December 2019. But still a couple of hurdles.’

    Wilder, along with managers Shelly Finkel and Al Haymon, met with DAZN chiefs in New York on Tuesday to discuss a potential fight with Joshua on the streaming service. Finkel told ESPN: ‘We did [meet] but nothing was resolved and internally we are going to continue to talk about it and then we will get back to them, but it went well.’

  • Joshua gives Wilder flat fee to fight on April 13

    Anthony Joshua is saying once again that he’ll give Deontay Wilder a flat fee to face him on April 13 in a heavyweight unification fight at Wembley Stadium in London, England.

    Joshua says he’s willing to give WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (40-0-1, 39 KOs) a guarantee of twice his highest pure with incentives if he faces him next April.

    Joshua (22-0, 21 KOs) says he’s going to get his hands on Wilder’s World Boxing Council title one way or another.

    Just how he’s going to do that without Wilder losing to someone else is the big question.

    Some boxing fans believe that Joshua’s sudden interest in talking up a fight between him and Wilder is all for show, as he clearly knows that the American is planning on fighting rematch against Tyson Fury (27-0-1, 19 KOs) next in early 2019 to clear up their rematch 12 round split draw from their December 1 fight on SHOWTIME pay-per-view at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

    By Joshua setting the April 13 date at Wembley Stadium, and telling the boxing fans that he absolutely wants the Wilder fight on that date, it gives the impression that he wants the fight.

    However, Joshua had a chance to fight Wilder in September, but he chose to quickly end the negotiations and fight 39-year-old Alexander Povetkin on September 22.

    Wilder had talked about wanting to get in the ring afterwards to try and sell his fight with Joshua, but he wasn’t allowed to do that for some reason. Things like that give the boxing public that Joshua isn’t serious about wanting to fight Wilder, and this latest challenge by him is just acting on his part. With Joshua setting a date on April 13 that Wilder won’t be available, it means he’s safe from having to fight him.

    “In April, he needs to make a decision whether he wants to step up and fight me in England,” Joshua said to DAZN about his desire to make a fight with Deontay Wilder on April 13.

    “That’s his decision because he and [Tyson] Fury want a rematch. But if not, we got other options. No problem. The ball is in Wilder’s court. April 13 at Wembley, come see me. We’ll get the deal done. I’ll pay you way more than what you ever earned before. I’ll give you all the chance for 4 belts [IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO]. What more can you want?” Joshua said.

  • Sugar Ray Leonard: Joshua, Wilder fight made in heaven

    SUGAR RAY LEONARD believes Anthony Joshua’s defining fight would be against Deontay Wilder.  And the ring great has urged the British heavyweight star to travel to America to become a global superstar.

    WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO champion Joshua wants to face WBC title holder Wilder at Wembley in April after their teams failed to agree on a deal for them to meet this year.

    Big-hitting Wilder is now risking his unbeaten record against Tyson Fury on December 1 in LA. But Leonard – ringside for Joshua’s win over Alexander Povetkin last month – feels the Brit taking on Wilder would be like when he returned to the ring in 1987 to beat ferocious middleweight, Marvin Hagler.

    The American said: “It’s a fight made in heaven.  It would be up there with all the heavyweight fights in history. The numbers would be incredible. The reason I came back was that I wanted to fight the best in Marvelous Marvin Hagler.

    “Hagler was the last one I wanted to go up against so I made sure it happened. It’s kind of a stamp of approval, people remember how you fared against the power.”

    Five-weight world champion Leonard believes Joshua needs to make the trip across the Atlantic if he wants to be remembered as a world great.

  • Hearn to strike deal for Joshua, Wilder unification fight

    Promoter Eddie Hearn hopes to be able to make a deal for a unification fight between heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder when he is in New York next week.

    Hearn is waiting to hear from WBC champion Wilder over a showdown with British fighter Joshua, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBO titles.

    It is hoped, though, a deal – with a reported fee of some 12.5million US dollars (£8.8million) said to be on the table – can be thrashed out to get both heavyweights into the ring sooner rather than later.

    ‘We made an offer last week. We haven’t heard from them yet. There’s been a bit of talking behind the scenes,’ Hearn said on Sky Sports News.

    ‘We are in New York next week for the Danny Jacobs fight and Katie Taylor unification. I’m going to look to meet up with them in New York, get face to face with them, look into the white of their eyes, and just see if we can make a deal. We have made an offer that we feel is substantial, if not, we’re happy to talk about the numbers and look at their ideas as well.’

    Joshua has been told by the WBA he must put his ‘super’ belt on the line against contender Alexander Povetkin. Hearn admitted that situation had made on-going negotiations with the American’s camp more complicated.

    ‘Anthony’s made it clear – that’s the fight he wants next, the Deontay Wilder fight,’ Hearn added.

    ‘With these mandatories coming up as well, Povetkin, and the possible IBF mandatory, I’ve said before there are not many opportunities to make an undisputed fight. Really the focus is for us to make the Deontay Wilder fight next.

    ‘If not, it has to be the one after, and we’ll have to deal with a mandatory in the meantime. It could be Alexander Povetkin. Generally, from AJ’s side, from our side, from the team’s side, the Wilder fight is one we have no problems with at all. We’ve just got to find the right deal and we’ll be trying to do that next week in New York.’

  • Wilder: Joshua’s victory over Parker a ‘robbery

    Deontay Wilder has responded to Anthony Joshua after he threw down the gauntlet in the wake of beating Joseph Parker in Cardiff on Saturday night.

    Joshua needed a unanimous point’s decision to defeat Parker in Cardiff and subsequently add the WBO

    heavyweight title to his WBA, IBO and IBF belts.

    And after the result was announced, Joshua, much like Dillian Whyte had done the week previous after

    defeating Lucas Browne, invited Wilder over to the UK as he looks to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

    ‘Let’s go Wilder!’ AJ screamed down the television cameras as he mimicked the words of Whyte. ‘Come to London and I’ll knock you spark out.’

    Now though, Wilder, who chose to watch Joshua face Parker from his home, has responded, claiming he has accepted Joshua’s many invitations in the past.

    In a video on Instagram, Wilder sought to take the moral high ground by quoting his grandmother.

    “My grandma told me if you don’t have nothing nice to say dear baby then don’t say nothing at all. That’s all I’m going to say,’ he said, before claiming Parker was robbed of the win and mocking Joshua’s tattoo of Africa.

    He wrote: ‘What a robbery… WOW?? @joeboxerparker Great job Bro omg don’t apologize you did nothing wrong true champion. @anthony_joshua I ACCEPTED 100%. P.S. Take AFRICA off your Arm. They’re warriors you from UK brotha’.

    He further taunted Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn by putting up a video of himself supposedly calling Hearn’s phone, only to be greeted by a voicemail message.

    Wilder added on Instagram: ‘Don’t be with that bulls*** @eddiehearn pick up the phone Maine.’

    While Whyte is also eager to get his teeth into the American and WBC heavyweight champion, Joshua is clearly the only fight Wilder is interested in.

    It’s a bout that both the Brit and Hearn made clear was one the undefeated fighter wants to happen, and should Wilder’s claims be true, we could see the division unified before 2018 is out.

  • Joshua has 80 per cent chance of fighting Wilder next – Hearn

    ANTHONY JOSHUA has a very strong chance of fighting unbeaten American Deontay Wilder in his next fight.  That’s according to the Brit’s promoter Eddie Hearn.

    Joshua will put his WBA and IBF titles on the line when he faces WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in a unification bout on March 31.

    Both fighters are unbeaten but if Joshua manages to get past the tough Kiwi, Hearn has tipped Wilder to his (Joshua) next up.

    Speaking to Fight Hub TV, he said: “Our job is to give the public what they want, that’s how you keep boxing strong.

    “Anthony wants to do that, he wants to fight Deontay Wilder now – straight away. There is a very strong chance he will be next after Parker, an 80 per cent chance.”

    Wilder came close to losing in his last fight against Luis Ortiz but managed to pull through a tricky seventh round to win. And, as Hearn pointed out, Joshua has to beat Parker before any talk of a bout with the WBC champion can happen.

    “I think there’s a very good chance it could happen next, but we have to see on March 31,” he added.

    But, according to bookmakers Betfair, Joshua needn’t worry when taking on Parker. They see him as heavy favourite, pricing him up at 1/10 to win.