Deontay Wilder’s manager, Shelley Finkel, has stated that the American boxer is willing to fight Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia.
Wilder is currently looking for his next opponent, according to Finkel, after defeating Finnish professional boxer Robert Helenius in a one-round fight in October 2022.
According to reports in the United States and the United Kingdom, talks about a fight between Wilder and Joshua have been going on for years.
According to reports, Wilder’s team offered Joshua $50 million to schedule a fight in Las Vegas, but the talks fell through after Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, was unable to obtain documentation of the funds.
During the height of the negotiations, Joshua still held the IBF, WBO, and WBA belts, while Wilder still held the WBO belt.
Over a year after both boxers lost their belts, the possibility of a rematch has resurfaced, despite Anthony Joshua’s statement that he would not return to the ring until December.
The proposed fight is said to be a way for both heavyweight boxers to rebuild their careers while preparing for heavyweight title fights.
Their rumored fight in Saudi Arabia is consistent with speculations that Joshua and Wilder would fight in a four-man boxing match in Saudi Arabia. Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning heavyweight champions, are the other two boxers.
Fury recently came out to debunk the existence of such a tournament in Saudi Arabia, which is said to be worth £323 million. However, Wilder’s manager has acknowledged that such plans are in the works.
“Deontay has wanted to fight Joshua for a long time and of course is willing to fight him in Saudi Arabia,” Finkel told Sky Sports.