Anthony Joshua offered shock fight with Brit rival as Deontay Wilder fight on the verge of collapse | The Sun
18th September 2023

ANTHONY JOSHUA has been offered a shock showdown with fellow Brit Daniel Dubois amid the uncertainty over his clash with Deontay Wilder.

AJ was in talks over a long-overdue grudge match with The Bronze Bomber before his seventh-round KO of Robert Helenius last month.



The finances have been agreed but promoter Eddie Hearn is struggling to find a new venue for the fight after Saudi withdrew their interest.

There are now serious doubts over the heavyweight barnburner coming to fruition, which has prompted rival promoter Frank Warren to pitch a domestic dust-up with Dubois to AJ,

The Queensberry Promotions chief told iFL TV: "I’ll tell you what would be a good fight if that one doesn’t happen, a good fight in the UK.

"A fight people would buy tickets to see and see who is the biggest puncher and who has the biggest heart: him and Daniel Dubois.”

READ MORE IN BOXING

Hearn branded ‘legitimately David Brent’ after bizarre Joshua-Fury statement

Get £30 in free bets when you stake £10 today with Bet UK

Warren is adamant a Joshua-Dubois dust-up would be an instant sellout and a massive pay-per-view event.

The veteran promoter said: “Who’s got the biggest heart? Who’s gunna grit their teeth?

"You can’t say it wouldn’t sell. It would sell. It’s a big fight."

Dubois is still licking his wounds following his ill-fated bid to dethrone former pound-for-pound and current unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk last month.

Most read in Boxing

HEAVEN SENT

Apollonia Llewellyn stuns in see-through dress as fans hail ‘heavenly’ pics

RIP DIEGO

Boxing coach Diego Arrua dead after suffering heart attack in wife’s title fight

FUR REAL

Tyson Fury admits he ‘doesn’t give a s***’ about Usyk as he reveals next opponent

TY BREAKER

KSI predicts Fury vs Joshua and fears fighter would turn ‘evil’ to win it

FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS

Triple D suffered a ninth-round TKO defeat to the undefeated Ukrainian, who he thought he finished with a body shot in the fifth round of their Polish punch-up.

Joshua, meanwhile, is currently riding a two-fight win streak following triumphs over Jermaine Franklin and Helenius.

A third fight of the year could be in the offing for AJ should his clash with Wilder fall by the wayside.

Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn told the BBC: "If it can't be made, he wants to stay active.

"If he fights in December, that'll be three fights in eight months which is incredible for him.

"People keep saying he should have one more fight and then fight Wilder, but we don't think so.

"If it ends up that way, so be it and nothing would surprise me.

"If he fights in December, if he fights Deontay Wilder, if he fights Tyson Fury next – nothing would surprise me.

READ MORE SUN STORIES

Gogglebox stars reduced to tears after watching emotional My Mum Your Dad clip

Households can apply for up to £270 free cash next month – how to get it

"There's Filip Hrgovic and there's Andy Ruiz Jr, but it probably won't take place in this country.

"He's had two now on the spin at The O2 Arena, so maybe we go to Madison Square Garden, somewhere in the Middle East. It's just about activity for him."

Source: Read Full Article