Deontay Wilder questions Anthony Joshua’s ‘character’ after $50m snub in juicy interview
DEONTAY WILDER lashed out at Anthony Joshua this weekend, questioning the unified heavyweight champion’s character after he rejected a $50m (£37m) offer to fight Wilder on the American’s terms.
AJ and his promoter, Eddie Hearn, promised to carefully consider the offer, which was submitted with a 24-hour deadline last month, but demanded more information on the terms of the contract before accepting any deal.
The stand-off led to a breakdown in communications between the two camps but talks have since resumed with both fighters cautiously optimistic that a deal can be negotiated to make the fight happen this year.
“I don’t have a time frame on it just yet but I want everybody to know the fight will happen. If they are still serious, we have been serious this whole way through,” Wilder told FightHub TV.
“Joshua said he wanted $50m and he would sign tomorrow. We did that exactly what he said and he didn’t sign so that shows you his character already or his team’s character, I think Joshua wants to fight but I don’t think his team want to risk their investment.
“Their investment is about to go, and they know it.
“The money [is the hold up]. We offered them $50m [£37m] up front, he would have been the first fighter ever to get a $50m guarantee up front but he allowed his people to persuade him to go another way and that ain’t cool for the fighter or his family.
“He had an opportunity to take care of his family and his generation forever. $50m up front, it would have been easy. He was going to come to America, it would have been crazy.
“If he wants to take a $20m cut to fight in his country, then so be it.
“If we have it in England we’d have it in September, if it’s in America, it would be November.”
Joshua needs only Wilder’s WBC title to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1990; AJ added Joseph Parker’s WBO strap to his IBF and WBA belts during a 12-round decision victory in March.
But 32-year-old Wilder, who has knocked out every opponent he has faced in the ring, is confident he can upset the odds to beat Joshua.
“There’s only one way that goes down. There’s only one man that goes down,” he continued.
“I hope one of his endorsements writes their name on the bottom of his [Joshua] shoe because they are going to be ass down, feet up.
“I told [Luis] Ortiz he was going to be head down, ass up. It’s going to be the opposite this time.”