Turki Al-Sheikh wants to see a fight between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder next. It’s a fight that will attract a lot of interest from fans around the world, despite the two former heavyweight champions being well past their prime.
Joshua-Wilder is a fight that the boxing world has wanted to see for the last decade, but the two have never been able to put together a deal. Deontay’s right hand is like an old mineburied in the ground for 60 years, but still dangerous. If Joshua activates that right hand from Deontay, he will sleep.
Wilder’s career has sunk lower than Joshua’s, but they are both about the same level on the chin. Joshua, 35, was crushed in five rounds by IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois on September 21 in London.
Plan of Turki
If Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) comes through in that fight against former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs), Turki wants him to fight contender Martin Bakole in Africa . Bakole will fight Efe Ajagba in his next fight.
“I want to see Joshua and Wilder now. If Tyson is not available, why not Joshua and Wilder?” said Turki Al-Sheikh to talkSport Boxing of wanting to make a fight between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, recently beaten.
“We finished the fight between Bakole and the Nigerian fighter, Ajagba. After that, we want to see Joshua against Bakole. Me, I want to see this fight. You know where I want to see it? I want to see it in Africa.”
Wilder has a confidence boost against operator Curtis Harper on April 26 at BLK Prime in Atlanta. Given how poor Deontay has looked in the last five years, you can’t rule out a win for the 36-year-old Harper.
Turki didn’t say if he would still be interested in using Deontay as an opponent for AJ if he is beaten by Harper, but you have to assume that would make him ineligible. Wilder’s record would be 1-5 in his last six fights.
It’s bad enough that Deontay has lost four of his last five fights, but a loss to the old veteran Harper would be a clear signal that he’s not worth using as an opponent for Joshua.
