Anthony Joshua ready for Deontay Wilder but promoter wants no more delay

Britain's Anthony Joshua celebrates after defeating Russia's Alexander Povetkin in their boxing world Heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium. (AFP)
  • Joshua successfully defended his International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization belts
  • Joshua has repeatedly stressed he wants to fight fellow undefeated champion Wilder

LONDON: Britain鈥檚 Anthony Joshua believes his long-awaited clash with fellow world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will take place as it would be 鈥渟illy not to.鈥�
But promoter Eddie Hearn has warned a deal must be agreed quickly if the American is to be Joshua鈥檚 next opponent.
Joshua successfully defended his International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organization belts with brutal a seventh-round stoppage of Alexander Povetkin at London鈥檚 Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
He is already booked in to box again at Wembley on April 13, but the question of an opponent has still to be resolved.
Joshua has repeatedly stressed he wants to fight fellow undefeated champion Wilder, who holds the World Boxing Council version of the heavyweight title, next.
鈥淲e have to fight, it would be silly not to鈥� Joshua told reporters after inflicting the first stoppage-loss of Povetkin鈥檚 professional career.
Wilder, however, is next due to face Britain鈥檚 former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury on December 1.
Talks between the Joshua and Wilder camps have stalled and Hearn is worried a fight that will be worth far more than the 鈥減eanuts鈥� of an initially offered $50 million could be derailed.
If Fury beats Wilder, the American鈥檚 re-match clause would likely be activated, delaying both boxers from facing Joshua, the London 2012 Olympic champion who now has a professional record of 22 wins from 22 fights, with 21 knockouts.
鈥淏eing British, we鈥檇 like Fury to win, but for April, Wilder must win if that鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� said Hearn.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not willing to wait until December to see. A deal must be done in advance of that, subject to him winning.
鈥淏ut now, after 80,000 (the estimated crowd at Wembley) and the worldwide exposure and after the finish (against Povetkin) that offer (made previously, by the Wilder camp) will look like absolute peanuts when this fight is made.鈥�
鈥淭hat is the biggest fight in boxing; Wilder-Fury is a really good fight to see who鈥檚 the second best heavyweight in the world. Joshua-Wladimir Klitschko was the biggest fight in British boxing history, and Joshua-Wilder would eclipse that. We want that now.鈥�
Hearn insisted: 鈥淲e鈥檙e not waiting for time-wasters; we understand if they lose we鈥檒l have to find another opponent, but if you win, we鈥檙e not waiting until December.
鈥淭hese aren鈥檛 negotiations that will take 24 hours, and Joshua鈥檚 career is not being slowed down. If they don鈥檛 want to do that, we鈥檒l fight someone else.鈥�
Fury has previously said on social media that Joshua will never fight him but Hearn witheringly added: 鈥淭yson Fury is the least entertaining fighter I鈥檝e ever seen.
鈥淗e鈥檚 never been in a good fight, apart from against Steve Cunningham (in 2013), when he got knocked down.鈥�
Meanwhile the 28-year-old Joshua said he too had no intention of being messed about by Wilder.
鈥淚f Wilder鈥檚 not serious, there鈥檚 other people out there; when he鈥檚 ready, we鈥檙e ready.鈥�
Joshua added: 鈥淕ood luck to them both (Wilder and Fury) 鈥� boxing needs it.
鈥淚鈥檝e had the burden of the heavyweight division on my back for some years, because it was all about me fighting Wilder, Fury, Klitschko, Dillian (Whyte), Povetkin. That鈥檚 all they were interested in 鈥� me fighting them all.
鈥淪o I鈥檓 happy those two are fighting. April 13 is booked, so whichever heavyweight is serious, we can look at making a deal. I have no interest in who wins; I鈥檓 not fussed.鈥�
Joshua was rocked by Povetkin, the 2004 Olympic champion, in the first round. But he insisted the 39-year-old Russian had not broken his nose.
鈥淭hese guys the last thing they lose is their power, but it was a good way to wake up,鈥� Joshua said.
As for what lay behind his own public appeal, Joshua added: 鈥淭he appeal is losing 鈥� who is going to be the man to beat me? Sometimes you have to go in there and really earn your money.
鈥淧ovetkin was a tough challenger for sure, but I knew how to break him down.
鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 looking for the knockout but the instinct told he was hurt. I knew how to tidy up and I knew it was time to get out of there.鈥�