WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) believes IBF, IBO, WBA world champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs) is basically an unknown commodity in the United States.

Both champions are in training for scheduled defenses coming up next month.

Wilder makes a seventh defence of his title against Luis Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs) March 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and Joshua will collide with WBO champion Joseph Parker (24-0, 18 KOs) on March 31 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

In a recent interview, Joshua discussed how his brand is so huge in the UK that he doesn't see a need, at least right now, to fight in the United States.

According to Wilder, the British superstar will need to come to the United States in order to become a global force in the sport.

"He may have his country behind him and that's it," Wilder said to Cillian O Conchuir.

"Does he want to be remembered as a country-wide champion? Because he's not worldwide [champion]. Over here in America they don't even know his name. They just know him as a big guy from England. That's fact.

"I need him and he needs me at the end of the day, unless he doesn't want to unify. Unless he wants to stay over his side of the pond and let people gravitate to him and be a fake sign of what he [says he] is. But he will never be a global icon. You will never be a world-wide figure without me. All roads lead to Deontay Wilder."

Wilder has accused Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom, of hiding the boxer from their potential unification fight - and the Ameircan puncher wants the British public to continue to apply a lot of pressure to ensure the fight takes place.

"Everybody wants to see the fight," said Wilder. "The only people that don't are his promoters. They already know how big of a risk this really is. They should be worried but how long do they really think the public, the fans of boxing are going to allow them to stay away from me? This is the biggest fight in our era."

"If they feel that they want to unify, then, hey, you must go through me. All roads lead to Deontay Wilder because I am going nowhere, no time soon."