Talks to agree a world heavyweight title unification fight began on Thursday and, with Joseph Parker an alternative option for Joshua, Wilder has been warned not to scupper his chance.
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Joshua’s plan to add the WBC and WBO belts to his IBF and WBA gold has gathered pace since his most recent defence against Carlos Takam, and Hearn now hopes to pair him against fellow unbeaten champion Wilder, although Joseph Parker remains an option.
Wilder, the WBC heavyweight champion, scaled just 15 stone, 9 lbs when he knocked out Bermane Stiverne inside one round in New York on Saturday – compared to Joshua’s career-heaviest 18 stone, 2 lbs in his defeat of Carlos Takam a week earlier.
Wilder remained on course for a high-profile bout with the undefeated Briton by beating Bermane Stiverne with a first-round knockout in New York overnight.
Following his stoppage victory over Carlos Takam in Cardiff on Saturday, Joshua reiterated his desire to fight the Bronze Bomber, stating: “Boxing needs it and so do I, 100 per cent. It has to happen.”
Undefeated WBC title holder Wilder wants Joshua’s WBA and IBF belts and has said he will only accept Eddie Hearn’s £3 million offer to fight Dillian Whyte if he gets a crack at Joshua afterwards.
After a press conference last week in which Wilder promised to knock out Ortiz on November 4 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, the unbeaten WBC heavyweight champion said he wants Anthony Joshua next.
The British heavyweight put boxing on the front and back pages last weekend as he stopped Klitschko in a modern-day classic at Wembley Stadium
Fury has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF, WBA and WBO titles in November 2015, pulling out of a rematch a year later for medical reasons before relinquishing his titles in October