By Charles Brun: Deontay Wilder says he believes Anthony Joshua was created by his promoters and was not born to be a champion.
Wilder says Joshua’s management “bought” his belts, and as a result, he wasn’t ready by the time he finally started fighting quality opposition.
Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder’s comment about Joshua’s promoters on Matchroom buying his belts is similar to what some boxing fans are saying about AJ.
At first, they believe that AJ’s promoter, Eddie, cleverly maneuvered him to capture belts he wouldn’t otherwise have if he had fought someone good.
For example, they paved the way for Joshua to capture his first belt from vulnerable IBF champion Charles Martin by offering him good money to come to the UK to fend off AJ.
When Joshua fought former IBF/WBA/WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2017, he caught him when he was 40, after a year of inactivity and a loss to Tyson.
Some fans believe that the only reason Klitschko fought Joshua was because of the big payday. In other words, it was a fight Joshua wouldn’t have had if his name was ‘Joe Blow’ and he wasn’t well connected.
“They made Anthony Joshua. They did it. We are born to do it, we are not made. Even the Olympics, they gave him that [gold] medal,” Deontay Wilder told the Last Stand Podcast.
Wilder’s comment on the 2012 London Olympics is Joshua’s questionable victory over Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle. Many fans saw that as a steal, as Cammarelle seemed to get the best of Joshua in those Olympics, as did Cuba’s Erislandy Savon. Also, Zhilei Zhang and Ivan Dychko fought Joshua to a standstill.
“They bought a lot of the belts. The way they moved him around and set him up for certain moments, he wasn’t set up for that.”
“I am willing and able for everyone. I still want to yell at that a**,” Wilder said when asked if he was interested in fighting Joshua.
“I’m not going to steal from the fans who don’t make that fight happen. I definitely want that fight to happen. I just want to know if they’re real.”
If Joshua loses to Tyson Fury in their proposed Dec. 3 fight, Wilder might as well forget about trying to fight him because AJ will likely bow out.
Even if Joshua doesn’t hang up the gloves, a fight against Wilder then wouldn’t be as big as it would be now.
