Boxing: Wilder Remains Confident Of Joshua Fight
American boxer Deontay Wilder says he is “90%” confident a heavyweight fight with British star Anthony Joshua will happen in the future.
Wilder battles Zhilei Zhang on June 1st, six months on from his unexpected defeat by Joseph Parker. The loss to Parker foiled a planned fight against Joshua, but Wilder says the long-awaited bout can still happen.
“People are always going to want to see that fight no matter what,” Wilder said in an interview. “I put it in the high 90s [percentage chance of happening].”
Joshua and Wilder both fought on the same night last December, with a view to meeting in April 202. However, the Briton was forced to fight UFC champion Francis Ngannou instead after Wilder’s defeat.
Wilder, 38, says the loss was as a result of his 14 months of inactivity leading up to the Parker fight, but said a big win will resurrect interest in the contest.
“I always said it before, it’ll be a shame if we never fought,” Wilder said of Joshua. “It only takes that one fight, that one night. June 1st is going to be that night, that one fight.”
“Deontay Wilder knocks [Zhang’s] head off and the world goes crazy. And there we go again, Wilder versus Joshua. They want it [again].”
BBC/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma.
