What will Wilder and Joshua do with their careers?

[Lance98]

Where was it stated that wilder ducked ruiz?

[deathofaclown]

I don't think Wilder cares about being an active boxer anymore, he's simply looking for a huge payday. Its understandable, he's approaching 40, got smashed to bits by Fury a couple of times and he's fought 1 round since. Nobody truly knows what he has left, maybe even including himself. So I don't see him taking any remotely risky fight before a middle Eastern style payday. I think it's his only goal at this point.

AJ I think still has a big more ambition, but he's not almost 40. That's why he tries to stay active. He probably knows even if he can't get an Usyk or Fury fight as a challenger, some belts will get vacated at some point and maybe he can be a champ again.

I do still think Hearn and AJ are ok with cashing out if the price is right, but he's also keeping one foot in being an active boxer incase the landscape changes.

[Eff Pandas]

I don't think Wilder cares about being an active boxer anymore, he's simply looking for a huge payday. Its understandable, he's approaching 40, got smashed to bits by Fury a couple of times and he's fought 1 round since. Nobody truly knows what he has left, maybe even including himself. So I don't see him taking any remotely risky fight before a middle Eastern style payday. I think it's his only goal at this point.

AJ I think still has a big more ambition, but he's not almost 40. That's why he tries to stay active. He probably knows even if he can't get an Usyk or Fury fight as a challenger, some belts will get vacated at some point and maybe he can be a champ again.

I do still think Hearn and AJ are ok with cashing out if the price is right, but he's also keeping one foot in being an active boxer incase the landscape changes.

Agree. I think even AJ's ambition has sunk a lot based on some recent comments & his very safety first approach, even vs lesser guy, shows this. But yea Wilder is in cash out mode for sure. If he's 1 & done I wouldn't be surprised at all. Altho I do think its VERY likely Usyk is 1 & done with this Fury fight too.

[Eff Pandas]

What makes you think Fury has more fights left?

He's shown very little regression this deep into his progression. Usyk looking more hittable & slower, I think he's 80% done/retiring after this Fury fight. Wilder barely fighting lately & I think he's probably 1 & done too. AJ keeps getting more & more timid vs lesser guys altho I bet he fights for a few more yrs. I think Fury is the most likely guy of the 4 to be like Mike Tyson & fighting exhibitions at 50 or older.

[Zelda]

Wilder is 38 and in semi-retirement mode. He still trains and exercises but that is because he has always remained in shape throughout his active years. He may only come out of his undeclared retirement for a major fight because it is hard to motivate yourself for the lesser ones. Wilder, by his own claims and what we see, is not a big spender and he has made big money post 2018-19, particularly fighting those 3 Fury fights. He can retire with generational wealth and pursue other interests which he has indicated on a few occasions. He doesn't have an ambition to start a 2nd career post those Fury fights and the pandemic.

Joshua is still below 35 and reckons he can have a second career and make even more money fighting Fury, Wilder, etc. He's staying active and moved to the US for a new trainer and is pushing himself harder. Still, I think that to keep yourself motivated, you need big money or title fights and it would be hard for AJ to keep fighting Franklin-type guys. If Fury gets but with 2 Usyk fights, AJ has 2-3 fights which he would like to be Wilder (twice) or Zhang because he too is out of other big money fights.

Usyk has already fought AJ twice and would probably fight Fury (twice?). If he loses, which I expect him to, he too won't be that motivated to go through a long path of regaining his belts, even though it should be easy afterward because I think Fury will let go of all but the WBC belt. That would be there are 3 championship fights to be made and this could motivate Usyk, Joshua, Zhang, and Wilder, say, one year from now. It would depend on the winner of Wilder-Joshua if that fight happens around Feb-Mar possibly in Abu-Dhabi or in Vegas. Post that, the winner goes the Fury way to challenge for the WBC and the loser tries his hands on Hrgovic/Zhang or Usyk to fight for one of the vacant belts.

[QueensburyRules]

He's shown very little regression this deep into his progression. Usyk looking more hittable & slower, I think he's 80% done/retiring after this Fury fight. Wilder barely fighting lately & I think he's probably 1 & done too. AJ keeps getting more & more timid vs lesser guys altho I bet he fights for a few more yrs. I think Fury is the most likely guy of the 4 to be like Mike Tyson & fighting exhibitions at 50 or older.

- - More likely to turn into the Gypsy Queen from the look of him and his tltty jiggering Daddy.

[JakeTheBoxer]

He's shown very little regression this deep into his progression. Usyk looking more hittable & slower, I think he's 80% done/retiring after this Fury fight. Wilder barely fighting lately & I think he's probably 1 & done too. AJ keeps getting more & more timid vs lesser guys altho I bet he fights for a few more yrs. I think Fury is the most likely guy of the 4 to be like Mike Tyson & fighting exhibitions at 50 or older.

But Fury has also shown no desire to fight other contenders.

If he ever fights Usyk, that could be his last fight.

[Eff Pandas]

But Fury has also shown no desire to fight other contenders.

If he ever fights Usyk, that could be his last fight.

First off they have signed to fight with the Saudi $$$ coming in as I & others predicted. Although it wasn't much of a prediction cuz everyone unbiased about it said it was coming.

And as to the last fight part I think you are silly to think that. And look I fully think its possible Fury retires in his post win speech & then retires after his first return fight & then retires again after his return from that retirement. But this dude FOR SURE isn't close to being done with boxing. Talk to me in 3-5yrs about this same topic & we might be closer in opinions.

[Clegg]

I think AJ fights an easyish opponent and then gets the Fury fight which would sell well. If that doesn't happen and the belts get vacated, I could see him facing Hrgovic for the IBF.

Wilder is harder to predict. He seems to overestimate his value in negotiations but needs to accept one of the offers available to him just to get back out there and stay relevant.