AJ set to DUCK wilder and fight Hrgovic for IBF instead

[NEETzschean]

It wouldn't surprise me. Wilder has a lot of heart and AJ doesn't. Their respective fights prove this and no one with any integrity can deny it.

[N/A]

You're not fooling everyone brother. It's AJ who fought everybody, which included Klitschko.
Wilder was referred to by his own manager as still a baby when fans want him to fight the almost retired Klitchko.
Fury ducked the Klitschko rematch and played the metally ill card, went on retirement.

You fool yourself.

[WBC WBA IBF]

Currently, Hrgovic is #1, #2 is vacant, then Joshua, then Wilder, Sanchez, Parker, Anderson, etc. If they want to find a champion, they first need to fill their #2 spot. You say they follow rules and you also say Wallin #9 and Gassiev #12 fought for the #2 position? Who did Joshua fight in the IBF ranking to get the #3 position? and who did Wilder fight to get#4? Why is Dillian still in the ranking? who has Kabayel beaten to be a top 10? why are Ruiz and Ortiz ranked #14 and 15, respectively when Ruiz beat Ortiz?

Some rules there eh?

IBF rules are very clear that winning an official eliminator is the only way to achieve the #1 or #2 ranking.

The IBF confirmed to me personally that Wallin will be #2 in the next ratings.

[HandsofIron]

At this point, I have to go with Wilder KO'ing AJ, dude is a shell of his former self and I'm not not surprised Hearn and co. going this route.

I also wouldn't be surprised if Hrgovic pulled of the upset.

[Gideon lock]

It's not exactly a duck hrgovic is a better boxer than wilder he might not hit as hard but he hits hard enough and has the angles and know how to deliver the ko punch to aj. It's a risky fight for the tentative version of aj we've seen recently.

[SN!PER]

Filip just needs to aim those rabbit punches to the sides of AJ's head instead of the back and he could have him on wobbly legs.

[tomhawq]

I was probably the first Wilder supporter on this whole site. I also hate Eddie Hearn. This post is nonsense.

The fight was locked in - AJ and Wilder wanted it and there were no promotional issues. The Saudis simply pulled the rug out from under it in regard to the money. There was never any possibility of making AJ-Wilder with no titles on the line anywhere else - the big big money isn't there.

The Saudis have delivered for Hearn and AJ multiple times in the past, but they're also a bunch of lowlife thugs so it's no shock they've done a 360 and are now up Tyson Fury's ass.

Joshua will go where his best opportunity is. So will Wilder. It's business.

Only a handful likes Hearn. But tell 'em doe.

[Willow The Wisp]

I have to wonder what Wilder's trainer-turned manager/spokesman Malik Scott will come up with next. Two months ago he said Wilder-Joshua fight deal is almost done:

https://www.boxingscene.com/wilders-trainer-on-joshua-fight-deal-almost-done--176856

Of course, this guy was just guessing and he gets his news from the same source like most of us get.

He, Wilder and Finkel clearly want to get a hold of that Saudi money.

Malik doesn't even want to see Joshua take interim fights because he's worried things could get terribly wrong.

Joshua taking a killer for his next fight must be giving Malik nightmares. He probably already bought properties on credit thinking truckloads of Saudi riyals are on the bag.

I don't blame Wilder & co. For being worried when Joshua fights anyone. Joshua has been the PERFECT opponent for Wilder to shine against for 8 years, and there are enough delusional Joshua fans left to earn tens of millions off of. Wilder's fast artillery (often mistaken by casuals as "windmill" sloppiness) combined with unprecedented power has burned through 10 title defenses and dropped every man he ever fought including Tyson Fury (4 times!), and the Fragile Fauntleroy simply doesn't possess the skills or courage to deal with that. A fact not lost on Eddie.

[dan-b]

I don't blame Wilder & co. For being worried when Joshua fights anyone. Joshua has been the PERFECT opponent for Wilder to shine against for 8 years, and there are enough delusional Joshua fans left to earn tens of millions off of. Wilder's fast artillery (often mistaken by casuals as "windmill" sloppiness) combined with unprecedented power has burned through 10 title defenses and dropped every man he ever fought including Tyson Fury (4 times!), and the Fragile Fauntleroy simply doesn't possess the skills or courage to deal with that. A fact not lost on Eddie.

Let's say it's all a smokescreen then, what's the long term plan for AJ?

[STREET CLEANER]

AJ and Wilder have not signed the fight for whatever reason. If the fighters move on so be it. A lot of posturing and very little movement with the negotiations. Sanctioning bodies will give a shot at AJ because he is still popular.