Deontay Wilder, the former WBC world heavyweight champion, is not dwelling on the fact that a potential fight with Anthony Joshua did not materialize this summer. Joshua's promoter, Eddie Hearn, had suggested that a bout between the two could happen before Joshua's scheduled fight with Tyson Fury later in 2026.
However, Joshua will instead face Kristian Prenga in July. According to Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, Wilder is not disappointed about missing out on the fight, stating that it was never a concrete possibility in the first place.
Finkel noted that Hearn never reached out to them, and Joshua clearly had no intention of stepping into the ring with Wilder. This is not the first time that a fight between Joshua and Wilder has been discussed, as the two were close to reaching an agreement in 2019. Wilder is now looking to the future, with a potential fight against unified heavyweight champion Oleksander Usyk on the horizon.
Wilder has expressed his desire to unify the division, stating that it would be an overwhelming feeling for him to achieve this goal.