Anthony Joshua makes Deontay Wilder feelings very clear with savage response after KO
Anthony Joshua's view was clear after Zhilei Zhang knocked out Deontay Wilder.
Anthony Joshua had a brutal one-word response for Deontay Wilder after the American boxer was knocked out by Zhilei Zhang in what could be his last-ever boxing fight. Wilder was dropped in the fifth round of their contest as Frank Warren's Queensbury whitewashed Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua had been rumoured to fight Wilder had he enjoyed a positive result in the 5v5 contest in the Middle East, but when asked if he found the knock-out sad, the Brit bluntly replied: "No."
The pair were even reportedly set for a series of fights against each other, but Wilder's defeat to Zhang may have scuppered any such plans, while Joshua could next fight Wilder's Chinese conqueror or Daniel Dubois.
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Joshua was asked by DAZN who he wants to step in the ring with next, but he appeared unconcerned with any potential opponent and replied: "They are all going to get a seeing to."
Former WBC champion Wilder had his head slammed into the canvas after a right hook from Zhang, forcing the referee to stop the fight after the dazed 38-year-old failed to meet the count.
He had suggested prior to fighting Zhang that the bout could be his last, but Joshua has encouraged Wilder to carefully decide his next steps and not hastily announce any retirement.
"I just look at and say, 'if you want to do it, do it', it's not a big deal boxing, if you want to fight, fight on, and if you don't want to do it, don't do it any more, it's just where your heart's at," Joshua said of the Bronze Bomber.
"He went in there against a good fighter in Zhilei, he's an Olympian, Zhilei, people forget that, he's come through, he's got a great style. I fought him before in the Olympics and he's still doing what he does now, so many years on. He was in with a real good, seasoned professional with a great pedigree.
"It doesn't matter, come again if you want, and if you don't, you've got your family there, there's another life outside of boxing for him."
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Wilder is under no illusions that defeat in Saudi could spell the end of his professional career, telling Seconds Out before the fight: "I've had a successful career and this is a do-or-die moment for me.
"And I don't think the heavyweight division is as exciting without Deontay Wilder in it. But come Saturday night we will see. Will I prevail, will I succeed? Who knows. But Saturday night is the true answer and we gonna see.
"This could be the end of the career. This could be the final goodbye, the farewell of Deontay Wilder — if I lose. If I win, I prevail, of course I go on to bigger and better things."
