The highly anticipated heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder has encountered yet another delay, pushing the earliest potential date for the fight to March 2024. Originally, Joshua had intended to face Wilder in the Middle East in December or January, but circumstances have necessitated an interim bout before the potential showdown with the American boxer.
Anthony Joshua’s most recent bout was in August, where he defeated Robert Helenius. However, it was later revealed that Helenius had failed a pre-fight drug test. As a result, Joshua is gearing up for another fight to keep himself in peak condition while awaiting the clash with Wilder.
In an interesting twist, Joshua is also being considered for a shot at the IBF world title if it becomes vacant following Tyson Fury’s anticipated undisputed match against Oleksandr Usyk, scheduled for December 23 in Saudi Arabia. This adds a layer of intrigue to Joshua’s career trajectory.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, provided insights into the situation, saying, “He wants to fight, that’s for sure. We’ve been in discussions with him all week. There are developments regarding the IBF title. We’ll have to see how that unfolds. Realistically, the Wilder fight is now slated for March or April at the latest. But Joshua is eager to step back into the ring and has expressed his desire for a December fight, possibly extending into January.”
In recent years, Anthony Joshua has been involved in four fights, securing victory in two and experiencing defeat in two, including the world title losses to Usyk. However, he made a strong comeback with wins against Jermaine Franklin and a knockout victory over Helenius.
Commenting on the ongoing delays, Joshua stated, “Any time is a good time to fight. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is or when the fight takes place. I’m just pleased that we can eventually make the fight happen, and I believe fans appreciate the effort we’re putting in to keep heavyweight boxing in the spotlight.”
