Unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 22-0 (21) has no shortage of options if WBC beltholder Deontay Wilder 41-0-1 (40) doesn’t want the fight, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
Joshua, who defends his IBF, WBA and WBO belts against Andy Ruiz Jr at New York’s Madison Square Garden this Saturday night, was hoping to secure a unification bout with Wilder but news this week that the big-hitting American has signed on for a rematch with Luis Ortiz has dashed those plans.
Now it seems the 29-year-old Brit will look elsewhere for his next challenge.
“AJ is focused on this. Wilder has decided he doesn’t want to fight Joshua so we have to focus on this career,” Hearn said to Sky Sports.
“This is dangerous, you take your eye off the ball for a minute and these challengers will turn your lights out. Joshua has to stay focused, this guy will do everything to try and knock him out.
“This is just the beginning. You’ve got Tyson Fury, Dillian Whyte, the two mandatories which is likely to be Oleksandr Usyk and Kubrat Pulev as well, we’re fine for opponents.
“The one we wanted though was Deontay Wilder but if he won’t fight him, there’s nothing we can do. Forget about him and focus on what we can do.”
Joshua reinforced the Matchroom Boxing boss’s comments after Thursday’s press conference.
“There are other challenges out there like Kubrat Pulev, Oleksandr Usyk, Michael Hunter, Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte,” Joshua said.
“If it’s not Wilder I will have to go somewhere else.
“What can I do? Hopefully he comes to his senses and comes to see us.”
Wilder is coming off a first-round knockout of Dominic Breazeale at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on May 18.
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