Shelly Finkel: It’s Clear Anthony Joshua Does Not Want Deontay Wilder Fight

Although the fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder was not made for 2018, there was an expectation of the fight happening in April 2019 at Wembley Stadium.

Well, Wilder’s camp is not convinced that Joshua is really interested in a fight between the two heavyweight champions. Both sides had initially agreed to a deal to fight later this year, but then talks immediately fell apart with assurance that the fight will happen at all.

Shelly Finkel, Wilder’s co-manager, spoke to World Boxing News and said he and Wilder were given a contract by Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn about the possibility of having their long-awaited undisputed heavyweight title fight next year. Finkel said the contract given to the Wilder camp did not clear up any roadblocks that prevented the fight the first time they negotiated.

“There’s no doubt in my mind they don’t want to fight Deontay Wilder in April. If they did, they wouldn’t have sent a contract with more impediments in it than the first time. I mean, they don’t even have their own lies together right now,” Finkel said.

Finkel said he was promised a contract that would be one to Wilder’s satisfaction and that it would already be signed by Joshua. According to Finkel, the contract is actually signed by Hearn despite a tweet sent by Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn, Eddie’s father, saying otherwise.

“And…added to that, they have now put more blocks on the rematch clause than before,” Finkel said.

As far as Joshua’s and Wilder’s next fights, Joshua, the unified WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion, has a date with Alexander Povetkin on September 22 at Wembley Stadium. Wilder does not have a fight lined up for him but he is currently negotiating a fight with former unified champion Tyson Fury.