Deontay Wilder has revealed talks over s fight against Anthony Joshua are progressing well - but the same can't be said for a clash against Andy Ruiz Jr.
Wilder is pencilled-in to fight Joshua at the end of the year in Saudi Arabia in a historic heavyweight that was supposed to also feature Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk, but that will no longer be the case as the undisputed clash has been delayed again. Wilder echoed recent comments made by Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn about the progression of fight talks.
"That’s looking very promising, very promising," Wilder told ESNews of facing Joshua. "I also got other offers as well from overseas so nobody need to worry about who I fight because my life is very, very great, understand that. Don’t worry about who I fight cause I could fight anybody in the world, they would love to see me come in their country, and love to see me in the States."
Who do you think Deontay Wilder will fight next? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below
Wilder has claimed Ruiz Jr's equal purse split demand is something that is getting in the way of their fight being made, adding: "Andy that ain’t so much the case so they got to really think about this situation they in. They talking about a 50-50, you ain’t nobody compared to me bro, you was only a champion for a very short time so stop that.”
Ruiz Jr hasn't fought since winning a decision against Luis Ortiz whilst Wilder made his return after a two-year absence to knockout Robert Helenius last October. Wilder was in attendance for Ruiz's last fight as the Mexican-American called for promoter Al Haymon to make the fight happen.
A 'lucrative' proposal from Wilder's team has since been criticised by Ruiz Jr's father as he told Izquierdazo : "They want Andy to accept a ridiculous amount. Andy is not just any boxer, he was the first Mexican heavyweight world champion in history. Wilder wants to offer 30 per cent. Andy and Wilder are going to fill the stadium, they are going to sell pay-per-views like crazy because everyone wants to see that fight, so it is not a fight that they are offering just enough."
Wilder and Ruiz Jr's fight could end being for the WBC belt depending on the next move of current titleholder Tyson Fury. 'The Gypsy King' has been struggling to book a fight since knocking out unwanted Derek Chisora in their trilogy fight last December, but he could be set for a "game-changing" fight which many fans predict will be against ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou.
