Page 18 - Boxing News Magazine (January 2020)

Photo: SARAH STIER/USA TODAY SPORTS

DREAM
+FIGHTS+
FOR 2020

LET’S

HAVE

. ANTHONY JOSHUA
1 VS DEONTAY WILDER
QUITE simply the biggest fight in the sport. Joshua holds three IT!
world heavyweight titles to Wilder’s one – the winner would be
the undisputed champion of the world, and we would once again
have a definitive division leader. Stylistically, it’s a dream fight.
In Wilder, we have the sport’s most dangerous puncher and in
Joshua, arguably the sport’s best finisher. Both have shown plenty
of vulnerabilities, and a clash between them would undoubtedly
result in blood and thunder. It’s a fight that would easily
transcend the sport’s usual boundaries and launch itself into the
wider public consciousness; that rare sort of fight that can have a
real, long-lasting impact on the sport as a whole.
These two have been circling each other for years – ever since
Joshua picked up the IBF title in 2016 – and while there have been
talks between both sides, nothing has come to fruition. Significant
broadcasting and political issues would need to be resolved –
based on past negotiations, this won’t happen anytime soon, George Gigney selects the 10 best
particularly as Wilder looks set for possibly another two fights
with Tyson Fury. Stranger things have happened, though. We’re
in the midst of an excellent heavyweight era, but for it to truly go bouts that can be made this year
down in history as one of the best, Joshua has to get involved with
Wilder and Fury.
LIKELIHOOD OF IT HAPPENING IN 2020: 2/10

16 O BOXING NEWS O JANUARY 9, 2020 w w w . b o x i n g n e w s o n l i n e . n e t