Why does Joshua v Wilder need to be in America?

Its what i keep hearing. I get told about the massive American market compared to the UK market. But that market has shown they couldnt give a toss about Deontay Wilder. And at the same time American fight fans keep telling us nobody knows or cares about Anthony Joshua in America. So we had Wilder who did poor TV numbers and horrendous ticket sales in his last fight which suggests his stock/value/worth is actually going backwards. And then we have Joshua who breaks world records in his fights, sells 90'000 tickets unlike Wilder and his 13'000 tickets. Not to mention AJ can command over a million PPV sales. Wilder isnt even a PPV fighter, he only does PPV when he is in against a PPV fighter. So we can talk about the "POTENTIAL US MARKET" and how huge it will be for AJ Wilder but how do we know that, with the UK MARKET all the numbers are there to prove Anthony Joshua is a massve pull. But when we look at Wilder to bring similar he cant do it. Infact his numbers are not even good and judging on recent fights its getting worse. But im guessing that is why the PBC and Showtime are throwing out mega numbers for a fight under their control and their network but then rather than back that up with an offer and a guarantee that matches the numbers they are predicting they are just getting Wilder to fight a load of people nobody wants him to fight. (Which by the way will just keep sending Wilders worth/value backwards even more.

Comments (20)

DaNeutral

Devin Haney is a King in the making right? Forget the networks, forget that he is on DAZN and whether thats a good or bad thing. Lets just talk whether Haney is going to be a serious player in this sport over the next decade or more. Im a Brit, love my Brits to do well but im still a Boxing fan and i crave top quality Boxing from top quality Boxers. This kid is still 20 and already looks very very good, got years to keep improving too. I know the names are not on his resume yet and im only going off the eye test from what he has done so far, plus a fantastic amateur career ofcourse, but i cant lie, im excited.

7y ago

DaNeutral

Surely the best draw would be the first fight in the US and the second fight in the home nation of the winner of the first. And in case of a draw...in the UK. ??? Why? Money? I think its only fair to both sides to have 1 fight in the home country of each. Even Wilder fans were asking for this not long ago until Deontay confirmed his duck of Joshua.

7y ago

Amandlala

I get all that. I fully understand that the American market is much bigger than the British market. But it all depends on the fighter or fighters that dictate the size. Joshua has already got the British market nailed down, he is a god to them. Wilder though??? Those numbers from his last fight were very disapointing, those numbers show a real lack of star status. Worse than that is the numbers have been higher in previous fights. So its always a gamble putting a fight together hoping it sells but on this occasion we are talking about mega numbers but its quite clear Wilder nor Joshua are standing at anywhere near the level of the likes of Floyd, Manny Pac, Canelo. I also dont understand how such a mega fight is such a huge fight that EVERYBODY will buy it in an evening but if its on in the afternoon NOBODY CARES. AJ Wilder should be a 2 fight deal, one in both countries but all i keep hearing out of Wilder is that he refuses to come to the UK to face him. Surely the best draw would be the first fight in the US and the second fight in the home nation of the winner of the first. And in case of a draw...in the UK. ???

7y ago

Amandlala

It’s a HW fight between two of the best so it should be held at wherever generates the most money, plain and simple. Sure the crowds are bigger and more electric in england but arent their tickets much cheaper or somesht like that? Lol. I dont give a sht if 90,000 people show up and their tickets were like $30. It needs to be in America,probably Vegas. Vegas is the best place I agree. But AJ Vs Klitschko the cheapest seats up in the rafters were £40 that's $50. Then it's like £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £400, £800 Right up to £2000 ($2500) for VIP Remember that's £ not $.

7y ago

giant_king

Lol no one cares about fury in America.it would have been different if he had knockout power and wasn't a roid cheat.

7y ago

DaNeutral

It's not about Wilder it's about judging how the US market will respond to the fight. Casuals specifically UK is provincial compared to the US. There's a lot more going on, vying for the publics attention and wallets than in the UK. California alone has a bigger economy than the UK so of course they will lose money if they put an afternoon PPV. It's not fair that UK fans have to stay till 5am to catch the big fight but that's what it is. Pure economics I get all that. I fully understand that the American market is much bigger than the British market. But it all depends on the fighter or fighters that dictate the size. Joshua has already got the British market nailed down, he is a god to them. Wilder though??? Those numbers from his last fight were very disapointing, those numbers show a real lack of star status. Worse than that is the numbers have been higher in previous fights. So its always a gamble putting a fight together hoping it sells but on this occasion we are talking about mega numbers but its quite clear Wilder nor Joshua are standing at anywhere near the level of the likes of Floyd, Manny Pac, Canelo. I also dont understand how such a mega fight is such a huge fight that EVERYBODY will buy it in an evening but if its on in the afternoon NOBODY CARES. AJ Wilder should be a 2 fight deal, one in both countries but all i keep hearing out of Wilder is that he refuses to come to the UK to face him.

7y ago

DaNeutral

Selfishly I don’t care about the states at all. It would be great if we had that mega event here if at all possibly. In short. F.uck them. We’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. for decades Exactly, We been doing that because our British Boxers have been the B side to these big superstar big earning American A sides. And we cant complain at that. Thats the sport. Fights were making more money in America, it made complete sense to have to bow to these A sides and their demands. But this time Joshua is the A side and Wilder is very much the B side. The money is in the UK. Joshua is earning, Joshua is selling and thats where you will find all the belts. Bar 1. There is no comparison between the numbers for these 2 guys. But the American refuses to bow to the A side. We are to believe that although Wilder cant warrant PPV status, his ticket sales are low, his viewing figures are low and he is making a small fraction of what Joshua does fight to fight that Wilder is a superstar and deserves 50-50 and that the fight makes more in the States. The numbers really do not back this up. Also the lack of counter offers from the PBC also backs this up. They have no faith in their own words or they would back it up with an offer with a big guarantee for Joshua to show their faith in their statement.

7y ago

_Rexy_

Nobody identifies as British. Too broad. Maybe now, but that was the lead up/build for Lewis/Bruno. Bruno even had “TRUE BRIT” on his trunks.

7y ago

2ndroundko

they can do in phuket. it doesn't need to be anywhere. but i bet it's in the us for 50-50

7y ago

QueensburyRules

- -Deyonce...n'er speak ill of the dead and dying.

7y ago

EnglishOxide

Joshua shuld fight in Uk. he doesn`t need America. he will never be popular in USA; no need to care about reputation there. Tbh he's already taking over America. Already close to selling out MSG at 3x the price of Wilder fights. He is about to become the biggest draw in the US behind Canelo. Real Americans who can look past patriotism and racial allegiances all know him as the HW Champion. The train is already running and it's just gonna gather more momentum. The numbers don't lie.

7y ago

JakeTheBoxer

Joshua shuld fight in Uk. he doesn`t need America. he will never be popular in USA; no need to care about reputation there.

7y ago

Sparked_26

Didn’t help that the UK doubled down on Frank Bruno and chastised Lennox for “not being British enough” Looks like they’re making that same mistake again with Fury Nobody identifies as British. Too broad.

7y ago

_Rexy_

He simple has to if he wants to be known world wide.lennox knew that from the start and he took full advantage of it.making TV appearance.doing movies.america loved Lennox and we made him into a world wide star Didn’t help that the UK doubled down on Frank Bruno and chastised Lennox for “not being British enough” Looks like they’re making that same mistake again with Fury

7y ago

_Rexy_

As would Wilder have been stopped against Ortiz in the UK. At least in the US they mostly let you fight to the death. Only time I’d be okay with a UK stoppage was in that Kownacki/Washington match. Don’t know what that ref was on. Gave Gerald 20 tests to show if he was fine (failed all of them) then sent him back out to get murdered.

7y ago

giant_king

7y ago

Rockybigblower

Forgot this one! personally I’m glad Wilder/Fury was in the USA. Wilder would have gotten a KO victory, but the fight was better with fury getting up and going to the draw. As would Wilder have been stopped against Ortiz in the UK. At least in the US they mostly let you fight to the death.

7y ago

Fabes88

America charge more for their PPV's and have a higher ceiling for potential buys. Stage the fight in the States and you can also televise in the UK as a PPV. That's two PPV revenues in one. If the fight takes in place at Wembley you lose PPV in the US because it won't be prime time. Americans won't paying PPV for a Saturday afternoon fight. I think The fight would be on dazn so us ppv won’t be a factor.

7y ago

Mushashi

This - but I'm not really sure this fight will be a ppv success at the level they need. For example if you're paying Wilder 40m and Joshua 50-60m then you need close to 1.5-2m buys (US) and 1m UK buys and a 20m+ gate. The x factor is DAZN guaranteeing the money for a US prime time fight. Yeah I'm not sure it touches 2m buys in the US, I think it does a little better than Canelo-GGG and def does 1m in the UK. Good point about DAZN. I suspect Wilder's team will leverage whatever DAZN's offering for a higher guarantee

7y ago

Toffee

Does that mean you have just confirmed that nobdy gives a **** about Deontay Wilder? Or are you saying people love Wilder that much its just too much for them to actually pay to go watch him fight or watch him on TV? And there are plenty of other things to do in the UK other than sitting in a pub all afternoon. Its just that none of them are better than sitting in a pub all afternoon. It's not specifically Wilder. Americans don't acknowledge anything beyond their borders. That's why it will be in the US. It's a big market that only cares about things in their country. The rest of the world will tune in regardless.

7y ago