Wilder vs. Joshua Possible For 2017, Says Showtime's Espinoza

By Radio Rahim

Last week, Showtime Sports made a big announcement with their finalization of a multi-fight agreement to exclusively showcase IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (16-0, 16KOs) to the American viewing audience.

Another fighter who competes under the Showtime banner is WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (36-0, 35KOs).

Both champions are exciting, both of them are big punchers, and both are Olympians. Joshua won a gold medal at the 2012 games, and Wilder picked up a bronze medal at the 2008 games.

The two heavy hitters are destined to face each other in the near future. Joshua will make the first defense of his world title, and his debut as a Showtime fighter, on June 25th against unbeaten Dominic Breazeale at the O2 Arena in London. Wilder's scheduled defense, on May 21 against Alexander Povetkin in Russia, is currently in limbo and could very well get canceled after the Russian boxer tested positive for a banned substance.

Stephen Espinoza, the head of Showtime Sports, could see a Wilder-Joshua collision taking place at some point in 2017.

"If feels like [Wilder vs. Joshua could happen] probably next year - if they both continue to win. Obviously Joshua is fighting on June 25th as well, same day as Porter-Thurman and Cuellar-Mares. And then he'll do one more fight in the fall, which very well could be his mandatory - the winner of Joseph Parker and Carlos Takam - and that might be the toughest fight of Joshua's career," Espinoza explained to BoxingScene.com.

"I think beyond that he's looking at names like Fury, Haye and Wilder. So I think he, and Eddie Hearn his promoter, have decided that it's time to really step up to the elite level. So probably two more fights and [Joshua] will be looking for those types of fights."