Deontay Wilder never contacted for Anthony Joshua fight

Deontay Wilder's team was never contacted about a summer fight with Anthony Joshua despite weeks of speculation linking the former WBC champion to a pre-Fury warmup for AJ.

Shelly Finkel, who manages Wilder, told Sky Sports the American cannot be disappointed about an offer that never materialised. "Eddie never reached out to us and Joshua obviously had no intention of fighting Deontay Wilder," Finkel said. "Same old story, just a new date."

Joshua opts for Prenga before Fury showdown

Joshua will instead face unheralded Albanian Kristian Prenga on July 25 in Riyadh, a tuneup bout ahead of his scheduled clash with Tyson Fury later in 2026. Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter at Matchroom, had floated Wilder as a possible opponent in recent interviews but declined to comment when Sky Sports asked about the lack of outreach.

The Wilder-Joshua fight has been close to happening before. In 2019, when both men held heavyweight titles, a unification appeared imminent until Joshua lost to Andy Ruiz. They shared a card in 2023, but Wilder dropped a decision to Joseph Parker while Joshua stopped Otto Wallin.

Wilder defeated 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 said of a potential Usyk fight. "Unless he retires and if so that's fine with me."

Source: skysports.com