Deontay Wilder claims that Anthony Joshua has never been keen to face him and does not see the pair clashing in the future.
Wilder previously described a showdown with fellow former heavyweight world champion, Joshua as the “biggest fight in the world”, although a clash is yet to materialise between the pair, dating back to 2018 with Wilder’s team maintaining that they offered ‘AJ’ $50m.
Joshua’s Promoter Eddie Hearn said late last year that he had brief conversations with Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel and outlined a three-fight plan for the 33-year-old for 2023, naming the American as a potential second or third opponent, with the Watford man expected to face Jermaine Franklin on April 1.
Wilder, however is not convinced that his rival, who is thought to be training in America with Derrick James, wants to face him.
“Joshua don’t wanna fight,” the 37-year-old told ESNews.
“It’s just plain and clear. I don’t know why people keep asking about that.
“Everybody should have known when the $50m was offered to him, after he asked for it and he didn’t take it.
“They should have known then it was something fishy, something was about him.
“But even moving forward, Joshua don’t want to fight.
“There’s certain information that I know and there’s certain information that the public receive from others.
“As fighters, we’ve got connections all around the world, because we travel around the world.”
The Alabama man bounced back from a dramatic 11th round stoppage defeat to Tyson Fury with a first round demolition of Robert Helenius in October.
Wilder was ordered by the WBC to face Andy Ruiz Jr in a final eliminator for Fury’s crown in November, although negotiations appear to be ongoing, meanwhile Ruiz Jr was also mandated to face Filip Hrgovic for the interim IBF crown.
However, the former WBC king remains confident of meeting Ruiz Jr next and says the remaining stumbling block is to finalise a venue to stage the bout.
“I think the biggest thing for me and Andy is just location,” he added.
“I’ve got a lot of meetings with a lot of different people and stuff like that.
“And it’s coming. I want to fight Andy. I hope he wants to fight me.”
