Deontay Wilder never contacted for Anthony Joshua fight

Deontay Wilder's team was never approached about a summer fight with Anthony Joshua, despite weeks of speculation linking the two heavyweights.

Shelly Finkel, Wilder's manager, told Sky Sports that Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn never made contact to discuss terms. "Can't be disappointed about something that never was," Finkel said. "Eddie never reached out to us and Joshua obviously had no intention of fighting Deontay Wilder. Same old story, just a new date."

Joshua chooses Prenga over Wilder for Riyadh card

Joshua will instead face unheralded Albanian Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, a tune-up before his scheduled bout with Tyson Fury later in the year. Hearn had floated Wilder as a possible opponent for that summer slot, per Sky Sports, but the American's camp says no formal offer materialized. Matchroom declined comment when contacted.

The two have circled each other for years. Their closest brush came in 2019, when a bout for the undisputed heavyweight championship appeared set before Joshua's upset loss to Andy Ruiz. They shared a card in 2023 but fought different opponents, with Wilder losing to Joseph Parker on the night Joshua stopped Otto Wallin.

Wilder beat Derek Chisora in the UK earlier this month and has been linked to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk. "It can happen and it will happen," Wilder told Sky Sports of a potential Usyk clash. "Unifying the division would be an overwhelming feeling for me."

Source: skysports.com