Anthony Joshua tells Deontay Wilder to stop ‘living the fantasy’ and accept he is bigger draw in any potential title unification fight
ANTHONY JOSHUA has told Deontay Wilder to accept who would be the bigger draw in any potential title unification fight and “stop living the fantasy”.
A clash between Britain's IBF and WBA heavyweight champion and America’s WBC belt-holder for the undisputed world title would be the biggest on the planet.
The two monsters have been trading blows publicly for months but as yet no serious negotiations between their camps have taken place.
Joshua is aiming to overcome WBO champ Joseph Parker in another unification fight in Cardiff next week first, but there is no doubt who he wants to face next.
And AJ hopes Wilder recognises that he is a greater attraction in the UK than the American is in the US and agrees to come to Britain for the bout.
Joshua said: "If he was serious about the fight, we'd do serious negotiation. If not, (he should) stop hooting and hollering because we'll just freeze him out.
"We're in a position where I've still got great top-10 challengers I can compete with. He's in a position where the broadcasters ain't interested in (him fighting) Joe Bloggs anymore.
"I know where I am going with my career. If he wants to be a part of this and jump on the train and come to the UK, he has to be realistic and stop living the fantasy. That is all we are saying, be realistic in negotiations.
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"What we've got to offer is going to be 10 times more in terms of financials - because that's what it comes down to - than he's looking at in America.
"If he offered me 10 times more money to fight than what I am looking at in the UK, I would go there to fight him. But he is coming here. We are doing the offering, he hasn't offered us. Take it or leave it."
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Joshua will meet Parker at the Principality Stadium in front of 78,000 – with Wilder expected to be among those in attendance.
Eddie Hearn, AJ’s promoter, is open to the possibility of a two-fight deal with the US heavyweight to hold bouts in both the UK and the States.
Hearn said: "I'd love to sit down and talk with him. There's a lot of bluster with Deontay but he's not an idiot.
“He knows what he's doing and he's doing a good job in attracting people to fights, but I think this fight will be made a lot quicker than people think. I believe it will be in 2018. We'll either fight once more in the interim or go straight to Wilder."
However, AJ’s immediate concern is Parker, with the New Zealander holding an unbeaten record in his 24 fights.
There has been much debate over what Joshua’s weight will be for the showdown, and the star has confirmed he intends to tip the scales lighter than for previous fights at "112kg max", or 17st 8lbs.
He weighed in at a career-high 18st 2lbs for his last fight against Carlos Takam in October.
Unbeaten AJ said: "Your size does cope with impact, with more robustness you can take a lot more.
"In terms of Parker, I'm not saying he can't punch if I come in lighter, but I should be a lot quicker and outwit him."
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