January 25, (THEWILL) – Deontay Wilder, former heavyweight champion, has accused Anthony Joshua, of avoiding a fight with him. Wilder claims that he has insider information to back up his accusation.
The accusations stem from an offer made five years ago, when Wilder’s team approached Joshua with a £40.5 million ($50m) fight offer. However, Joshua turned down the contract due to concerns about how the deal would affect his long-standing partnerships.
Speaking on the subject at the time, Joshua stated, “It was an honour to even have that number thrown at me. But then, when you dissected it and what it actually was, it was kind of like a rights fee – ‘We own you for this amount of money’. The issue I had was that I’ve got long-standing contracts in place with certain partnerships.” Joshua went on to explain that the deal would have significantly reduced the value of his existing partnerships.
Despite the past altercation, communication lines between both parties have recently opened up again with Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn and Wilder’s manager, Shell Finkel, having exchanged emails.
Hearn is hopeful that a fight can be made at the back end of this year after Joshua’s upcoming clashes with Jermaine Franklin and Dillian Whyte.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
