Deontay Wilder will not lament missing out on a potential bout with Anthony Joshua once again.
America’s Wilder, the former WBC world heavyweight champion, had been floated as a possible opponent for AJ this summer by Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
Hearn, head of Matchroom Boxing, suggested they would consider Joshua boxing Wilder before fighting Tyson Fury later on in 2026.
Joshua will box next in July, but that will come against unheralded Albanian Kristian Prenga in Riyadh rather than Wilder.
Shelly Finkel, the American’s manager, is adamant that Wilder has not been frustrated by missing out on fighting Joshua this summer.
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Following his split-decision victory over Derek Chisora, Deontay Wilder speaks on who he could potentially fight next – and would be open to a bout with British star Moses Itauma
“Can’t be disappointed about something that never was,” Finkel told Sky Sports.
“Eddie never reached out to us and Joshua obviously had no intention of fighting Deontay Wilder.
“Same old story, just a new date.”
Matchroom declined to comment when contacted by Sky Sports.
Joshua and Wilder have been close to reaching an agreement in the past.
Back in 2019, when their bout would have been for the undisputed heavyweight world champion, it seemed briefly inevitable, only for Joshua to lose to Andy Ruiz, a defeat which AJ would go on to avenge.
More recently they boxed on the same bill when Joshua took out Otto Wallin in 2023. Only on that occasion Wilder slipped up and unexpectedly lost to Joseph Parker.
Wilder boxed in the UK earlier this month when he defeated Derek Chisora and will look for further opportunities.
The American has also been linked to a potential fight with unified heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk.
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“It can happen and it will happen,” Wilder previously told Sky Sports. “Unless he retires and if so that’s fine with me. I must accomplish what I set forth in the beginning of my career.
“Why not make goals while you’re inside of the ring? I have. Unifying the division would be an overwhelming feeling for me. That’s something that I never had the opportunity to have.”
He added: “I hear a lot of things. I don’t keep up with too much. I hear he wants to fight me and then all of a sudden he doesn’t want to fight me. You really don’t know what to believe when you’re in the business of boxing.
“He’s one of the best in the era. I do need him to accomplish what I need to accomplish.”
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