Anthony Joshua has been told his career is "finished" if he loses to Deontay Wilder this year.
Joshua recently returned to the ring in a points win over Jermaine Franklin as he looked to regain momentum after his back-to-back losses against Oleksandr Usyk. It was expected that 'AJ' would then next compete in the ring on domestic shores this summer, but his latest appearance could be put on hold until December where he is currently in talks to face Wilder.
Given the magnitude of a potential meeting, Joshua's return could be delayed until then despite the prospect of a potential rematch with British rival Dillian Whyte. And the 'Body Snatcher' has suggested Joshua is no longer the leading fighter in the UK despite his star power.
“Joshua isn’t the golden goose anymore, the sport doesn’t revolve around him," Whyte told The Sun in a furious rant aimed at his former conqueror. “Him and his people don’t seem to realise it but duck me again and lose to Wilder in December and he and his team — that know so much but do so little — are finished.
“I want the fight. I know that DAZN want the fight, too, because it would be an absolutely huge event. The only problem we all have is Joshua. He has confidence issues and is afraid to take the fight. He doesn’t want to risk his retirement payday in Saudi Arabia against Wilder — who is also past his sell-by date.
“There’s a long list of opponents I can fight next and the deadline for Joshua to pull his finger out and find his pen is coming soon. Inactivity is killing the sport and it needs a shake-up. I am waiting for my next fight — and was meant to fight Joshua after Franklin. Joshua and his team told everybody ‘the winner of Whyte and Franklin fights AJ’ — and then they boxed the loser."
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Whyte was expected to be thrust into a rematch with his fellow countryman after he outpointed Franklin himself, but Joshua decided to instead touch gloves with the American. A win for Joshua in his potential alternative fight against Wilder could see him finally meet his rival Tyson Fury if he is involved as part of a four-man tournament against Oleksandr Usyk.
Despite the showdown having collapsed on previous occasions, Wilder's trainer Malik Scott has suggested talks are reaching their conclusion. He told Betway: "Without going into too much detail about the business aspect of it, everything's been said, talked about, negotiated, but nothing's been signed. But signing is almost upon us.
"But the negotiations definitely are happening. The moves are being made. The business aspect is definitely being taken care of. And most of all Deontay Wilder is being taken care of and is going to get paid very well for his services, and that's the most important part to me."
