Anthony Joshua won’t fight Deontay Wilder again in 2018. The management of the two boxers took too much time in the negotiations and now Joshua was engaged by the WBA to a fight with Alexander Povetkin.
Wilder and Joshua had negotiated intensively in the last weeks, but could not agree on the conditions for a fight. The WBA now decided that Joshua must defend his title against the Russian Povetkin in September. A time limit of 24 hours has been set for the negotiations. If no agreement is reached again, Joshua would have to give up his heavyweight title.
Joshua has set himself the fixed goal of uniting all four world champion belts in heavyweight. Lennox Lewis last succeeded in doing this in 2000. After the firmly scheduled title defence against Povetkin, negotiations with Wilder are to resume.
The WBC champion clearly saw Joshua as to to to blame for the failed fight and insulted the reigning WBA champ in the worst possible way. He also accused Joshua of never wanting to fight.
Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn rejected the accusations and saw the blame solely on Wilder and his team, who had not signed the present contract.