By Elliot Foster
Anthony Joshua looks set to fight Deontay Wilder after all.
The 29-year-old unified world heavyweight champion appears to have agreed a deal to become the undisputed king.
By Elliot Foster
Anthony Joshua looks set to fight Deontay Wilder after all.
The 29-year-old unified world heavyweight champion appears to have agreed a deal to become the undisputed king.
WBA Super, IBF, IBO and WBO champion Joshua, who is earmarked to return in the autumn, potentially on September 29 at Wembley Stadium in London, and his team have reportedly offered the WBC titlist a two-fight deal, with the first being in the UK.
And Shelly Finkel, Wilder's co-manager, has said that the offer has been accepted and that a contract being sent from one side to the other is the next step.
ESPN's Dan Rafael was the first man to reveal the news.
“We have agreed to the terms that Eddie [Hearn, Joshua's promoter] has put out to us for a fight in the UK,” Finkel told ESPN.
“Deontay has accepted his terms to fight in the UK. Deontay sent an email to Joshua [on Sunday] night and I sent one [on Monday] to Barry Hearn and Eddie telling them that we officially accept the offer to fight under the terms they gave us and to send us the contract.”
The terms for the rematch are also reportedly agreed, with further details to be revealed in due course.
Joshua was last seen in action back in March, when he unified his four titles with a twelve round unanimous decision over Joseph Parker at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
For his part, Wilder was also last seen in March at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, when he recovered from being badly hurt in the seventh round to score a tenth round knockout of undefeated Cuban challenger Luis Ortiz.
Should the fight fall through for any reason, then Joshua would be forced to defend against the WBA's mandatory challenger, Alexander Povetkin of Russia - and the two sides are already very close to a deal.
