Mayweather: Joshua is The A-side, Wilder Should Fight Him in UK

Retired former five division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. believes WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) should respect the fact that IBF, IBO, WBA champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) and go fight him in the UK.

In recent interviews, Wilder has indicated that he believes a 50-50 split is the only way that a Joshua unification happens - and he feels Joshua should come down to the United States to make the fight. Both boxers are showcased in the U.S. by Showtime.

"I just truly believe that Anthony Joshua is the A-side, because he has a huge following. he has a country behind him. Look at the numbers that he's getting," Mayweather told Fighthype.com. "If the fight does happen, I think it can happen in the UK. I think it's bigger money in the UK. that's just my opinion."

Joshua is in talks to stage a unification with WBO champion Joseph Parker on a date in March or April. Wilder is being lined up for a showdown with Cuban puncher Luis Ortiz for March 3rd at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Last month, Wilder demolished former world champion Bermane Stiverne in the first round of their mandatory rematch.

While Mayweather was impressed with Wilder's victory, he points out that Joshua is far from a fighter like Stiverne.

"I think everybody is overlooking Anthony Joshua. This is a guy that's a gold medalist. We look at Deontay Wilder's last fight and he went out there and done what the f*** he's supposed to do in great fashion, but we look at the guy that he fought - 6 feet, if that, 6 feet, 40 years old - you gotta realize Anthony Joshua showed a heart of a lion, got hit by one of the Klitschko, got right back up and kept fighting like a warrior. Joshua, he can give it and he can take it. It's a helluva fight. Anthony Joshua, he's a knockout artist. Deontay Wilder, he's a knockout artist," Mayweather said.