Though the big fight he really wants is a mega, three-belt unification with Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder is losing patience – to the extent that the reigning WBC king is talking about other fight options that are open to him.
Wilder recently said how the fight between he and Joshua will only happen if there is a 50/50 purse split; this being something Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn is dead set against. So in the meantime, unbeaten KO King Wilder is looking at alternative fights that excite him. Speaking with ESPN, Wilder, 39-0 (38) spoke about his desire to still face both Alexander Povetkin and Luis Ortiz in 2018.
As fans of course know, Wilder was to have defended his green belt against both men: Povetkin in Russia last year and Ortiz in New York last month; only for the Russian and the Cuban to fail separate drugs tests. But now, with Povetkin and Ortiz back and back in action soon (Povetkin on December 15 against Christian Hammer, Ortiz tomorrow night against David Mertz) Wilder is again looking in their direction.
Talk about two big, not to mention controversial grudge-fights. The fans would likely be firmly on Wilder’s side, rooting for the clean-living athlete to beat and defeat the two bad guys. The promoters would have a field day with either fight!
Wilder will soon have to honour his mandatory obligations – with Dominic Breazele being the WBC mandatory right now – but that fight has nowhere near the spice or the talkability that Wilder versus either Ortiz or Povetkin has.
Some fans would grumble how “drugs cheats” get rewarded should either man get a shot at Wilder (both men have, we must remember, been cleared to fight) but if Wilder himself is willing to fight these guys (so he can punish them, he says) then chances are are pretty high these match ups will actually happen.
Above all, Wilder needs to keep busy, and though a fight with either Ortiz or Povetkin could be dangerous, the fans who have been on Wilder’s case for “not fighting anyone” would have to give the Alabama warrior credit for taking on such risky (in more ways than one) opposition.
It would be a real shame if we never got to see a Wilder-Joshua unification clash, but if no deal can be made, what is Wilder to do? Either way, and whoever he fights next, “The Bronze Bomber” says he is looking forward to an exciting 2018.
