Deontay Wilder has made it clear that he holds no bitterness about the missed opportunity to face Anthony Joshua again. The former WBC heavyweight champion from the United States has been linked to a potential clash with Joshua throughout the summer, a notion first floated by Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing.
Hearn hinted that a Wilder‑Joshua bout could be arranged before Joshua’s anticipated showdown with Tyson Fury in 2026. However, the next fight on Joshua’s calendar is slated for July, where he will travel to Riyadh to meet the relatively unknown Albanian contender Kristian Prenga, not Wilder. Wilder’s manager, Shelly Finkel, stressed that his client is not upset about the situation. In an interview with Sky Sports, Finkel said, "You can’t be disappointed about something that never happened.
Eddie never reached out to us, and it was clear that Joshua had no real intention of stepping into the ring with Deontay this summer." He added that the whole episode is "the same old story, just a new date," underscoring that no hard feelings remain. Matchroom Boxing declined to comment when Sky Sports sought a response, leaving the speculation open-ended.
Both fighters have a history of near‑misses when it comes to a head‑to‑head bout. Back in 2019, a fight between Wilder and Joshua was on the verge of becoming a historic undisputed heavyweight showdown, but Joshua’s shocking loss to Andy Ruiz derailed those plans. Joshua later avenged that defeat, but the Wilder‑Joshua dream remained unfulfilled.
The two have shared a card more recently, when Joshua defeated Otto Wallin in 2023. That night, Wilder suffered an unexpected loss to Joseph Parker, further postponing any immediate prospects of a meeting. Earlier this month, Wilder traveled to the United Kingdom and secured a victory over Derek Chisora, demonstrating that he remains a viable attraction for major events. The win has revived discussions about his next opponent, with the unified champion Oleksandr Usyk emerging as another possible target.
Wilder has spoken openly about his desire to fight the best in the division. In a prior Sky Sports interview, he said, "It can happen and it will happen, unless I decide to retire – and if that happens, that’s fine with me.
I have to achieve what I set out to do at the start of my career. Unifying the heavyweight division would be an overwhelming feeling for me – something I never got the chance to experience." He admitted that the boxing world is full of rumors, noting, "I hear a lot of things. I don’t keep up with too much.
I hear he wants to fight me and then all of a sudden he doesn’t want to fight me. You really don’t know what to believe when you’re in the business of boxing. He’s one of the best of this era. I need him to accomplish what I need to accomplish." The broader context of heavyweight boxing in 2026 adds further intrigue.
With Tyson Fury expected to defend his titles later in the year, the landscape is shaping up for a series of high‑stakes matchups. If Wilder can secure a fight with Usyk, it would set up a potential unification pathway that could eventually lead back to a Joshua showdown, should the British fighter remain active and interested. Meanwhile, Joshua’s upcoming bout with Prenga in Saudi Arabia is viewed by many analysts as a tune‑up fight, allowing the former champion to stay sharp while the promotional machinery continues to negotiate bigger deals. If Joshua wins convincingly, his camp may feel more confident in pushing for a blockbuster clash with either Wilder or Usyk, depending on how negotiations unfold.
In summary, Wilder’s stance is one of pragmatic optimism. He acknowledges that the Joshua fight never materialized, but he refuses to dwell on the missed chance. Instead, he focuses on staying active, taking on worthy opponents, and keeping the door open for a future meeting with Joshua or any other top‑ranked heavyweight.
As the heavyweight division heads toward a busy 2026 calendar, fans can expect more speculation, potential matchups, and perhaps eventually the long‑awaited Wilder‑Joshua showdown that has lingered in the sport’s collective imagination for years.