By Edward Chaykovsky
Lou DiBella, promoter of WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs) believes a unification Anthony Joshua would be "massive" if all of the titles were at stake in the fight.
Joshua (18-0, 18 KOs) will face former division ruler Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley Stadium on April 29, live on Sky Sports Box Office, with the IBF, WBA, IBF world heavyweight titles at stake.
Wilder defends his own WBC belt against Gerald Washington on February 25 in Alabama. The WBO title is held by Joseph Parker, who is scheduled to make a mandatory defense at some point against Hughie Fury.
Wilder and Joshua, provided they continue to win, would not be a very difficult fight to make with both boxers have television deals with Showtime through their respective promoters. Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, has a very good relationship with Wilder's adviser, Al Haymon.
"If down the line, you're looking at Joshua and Deontay, two good looking, well spoken, massive heavyweights with tremendous credentials were to meet for a total unification of the heavyweight division - that's a massive fight," DiBella told Sky Sports.
"Joshua is a massive star already in the UK. He clearly has tremendous ability, power, he looks the part, he's got the amateur pedigree, the gold medal. He's got the package."
But first, Wilder will have to go through his next opponent, Washington, who took the fight on late notice after Andrzej Wawrzyk tested positive for a banned substance and was pulled from the fight. Washington is very big and undefeated, but may not be ready for a fighter of the caliber of Wilder.
"He was a star college football player," said DiBella. "He's a physical specimen and he's a great athlete. Deontay is familiar with Washington's style, he's seen him fight. I think it's a more testing fight than Wawrzyk would have been."
