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0 Deontay Wilder ‘would love’ to resurrect a long-awaited fight against Anthony Joshua if the British heavyweight star overcomes Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
Wilder suffered a shock points loss to Joseph Parker in December, which derailed plans for a blockbuster bout against Joshua, who will instead face Ngannou on Friday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
But the American remains open to finally sharing the ring with Joshua after the fight finally came within touching distance following years of negotiations.
Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua are yet to settle their long-running rivalry
Asked if the fight can still take place, Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel told Sky Sports: “We of course would love for it to happen.”
Joshua has recently told Sky Sports News that the cancellation of the Wilder fight was “annoying in a way because in fight week we met up, we spoke to lawyers, we signed contracts, all that good stuff”.
“It’s a fight that fans want to see,” he continued. “I’m not saying it’s completely written off.
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Anthony Joshua says he does not know what to expect from Francis Ngannou when the first bell rings
“It’s a fight where everything was signed and sealed. It just needed both of us to deliver. And he didn’t meet his end of the bargain.”
Former WBC champion Wilder had admitted that an explosive encounter with Joshua is ‘the biggest fight in the world.’
Speaking to Sky Sports in December, Wilder had said: “Now the moment has come where it’s the closest that it’s ever been in history right now. The closest that it’s ever been.
“I’m excited to say that. I’m not 100 per cent sure that it’s going to happen. There’s a lot of things that has gone on, a lot of things that has been done.
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Francis Ngannou says he will be a better fighter than the one who floored Tyson Fury
“You can’t be 100 per cent until that bell rings and that first punch has been thrown.”
Joshua is expected to target the winner of Tyson Fury’s undisputed world title fight against Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh on May 18 if he overcomes Ngannou.
But an immediate rematch between Fury and Usyk could complicate these plans, opening the door for a replacement opponent such as Wilder.
Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight showdown with Francis Ngannou takes place on Friday March 8, live on Sky Sports Box Office with the main event expected around 11pm. Book now!
