DEONTAY WILDER’S MANAGER SAYS ANTHONY JOSHUA CLASH REMAINS TOP PRIORITY
Deontay Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, confirms Anthony Joshua is their top target for a long-awaited super-fight in late 2025 or early 2026, stating, "it's the fight of the last ten years."
Deontay Wilder's management hopes to rematch with Anthony Joshua six years after they both dominated the heavyweight division.
Joshua was the combined WBO, WBA, and IBF champion in 2019, while Wilder was the WBC champion. Consequently, the two were on their way to becoming uncontested. Despite being given the chance to rematch with Tyson Fury, Wilder chose to fight Luis Ortiz before scheduling a rematch.
By 2025, neither fighter had won a world title. Joshua's current professional record is 28-4 (25 KOs), while Wilder's is 44-4-1 (43 KOs). Wilder is currently searching for his next opponent after making a comeback to the ring earlier this year and defeating Tyrrell Anthony Herndon in Kansas in the seventh round.
"Next week, I will be in New York to visit him," Wilder's manager, Shelly Finkel, told Box Nation. "He is preparing to fight again at the end of this year or the beginning of next [year]." We would want to... Joshua would always be our first pick.
Although Joshua has been out since surgery for an elbow injury, Eddie Hearn, the British promoter, has hinted that Joshua might be able to get a fight before the end of 2025. In September 2024, the former Olympic champion lost to Daniel Dubois and has not competed since.
Finkel also stated that his client would not decline a battle with Oleksandr Usyk, the undisputed champion, citing Joshua as the priority.
He went on: "But we would fight [Oleksandr] Usyk if we could get him, if we can not get Joshua." The biggest battle for him, in my opinion, is [a fight with Joshua]. Hopefully, this will be the battle of the past ten years.
Of course, a Wilder-Joshua fight does not have the same appeal as it would have in 2019, much like a hypothetical matchup between Joshua and fellow Brit Fury. Finkel was certain, though, that the two could profit handsomely from sharing a ring.
"[The fight is] not as big as it was, but it is huge," Finkel went on. Any of the smaller arenas would sell out, and perhaps Wembley as well, given a strong undercard.
EDDIE HEARN ADMITS AUSTIN WILLIAMS CANNOT OUTBOX WBC CHAMPION CARLOS ADAMES
Austin Ammo Williams faces a life-changing chance Saturday as Hearn plots a late-round breakdown of Carlos Adames.
Eddie Hearn isn’t trying to convince anyone that Austin “Ammo” Williams is a better boxer than Carlos Adames. He’s not pitching skill or finesse; he’s talking about grit. If Williams is going to win the WBC middleweight title on Saturday, it won’t be by outboxing Adames. Hearn’s hoping his guy drags Adames into the late rounds, toughs it out, and breaks him down physically.
Here’s the approach: Williams needs to pressure Adames, stay close, and make it ugly. A straightforward boxing match pretty much goes to Adames. So, Williams has to turn it into a dogfight.
“You just got to be a dog in there. You’ve got to hang with him, find a way, and try to combat the skill,” Hearn told DAZN Boxing. “You’ve got to try and trade with him, beat him up on the inside. You just have to not give in and find a way to break him.”
That’s the plan. Hearn figures the real shift probably happens late in the bout, maybe round nine, ten, or eleven, when toughness matters more than clean boxing or early dominance. Williams has to withstand as much punishment as he dishes out, keep pushing, and hope Adames finally breaks.
Hearn’s honesty actually tells you everything. “I don’t think Ammo is going to go in there and outbox Carlos Adames,” he said. He’s not pretending Williams is the slicker guy or has more tools. The path is straightforward: close the gap, trade shots, wear Adames down.
Still, Hearn sees a life-changing opportunity if Williams manages to pull it off. “If Ammo can become a middleweight world champion, he changes his life forever. The opportunity sits right in front of him on Saturday,” he said.
No doubt, Saturday’s a big chance. But it’s a rough road. If all you’ve got is to “find a way” through a gruelling fight, it usually means the champ has the edge when the boxing gets clean.
WHY NATE DIAZ SIGNED WITH JAKE PAUL’S MVP FOR MMA RETURN
Nate Diaz signs with Jake Paul’s MVP to face Mike Perry in an MMA return on the Rousey vs Carano Netflix card.
Nate Diaz is set to join the impressive undercard for the upcoming Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano bout. The UFC veteran has recently signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and will take on Mike Perry at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on May 16.
Diaz hasn’t stepped into the MMA cage since he submitted Tony Ferguson at UFC 279 back in 2022. After that, he tried his hand at boxing, debuting in the ring a year later, where he lost a points decision to Jake Paul. However, he bounced back in his next boxing match by securing a win against Jorge Masvidal.
There had been buzz about a potential fight between Diaz and Conor McGregor for McGregor’s UFC return, but those plans seem to have fallen through. Their history is well-known; they split victories in 2016, with Diaz dealing McGregor his first UFC loss. Many fans were hoping for a trilogy match, possibly headlining the promotion’s historic White House card.
Now Diaz is gearing up to face Perry at welterweight, following unified MMA rules over five rounds. He’ll be sharing the card with notable names like Francis Ngannou, who recently parted ways with PFL and is scheduled to fight Philipe Lins in the co-main event.
Diaz expressed his excitement about the return, saying, “Glad to be back in action." It’s time. Don’t forget where this all came from. I’ve got plans to keep going for the next decade, wherever it takes me. Time to set the bar again; get ready for a new takeover, again and again.”
He’s been hinting at this comeback for months and even called out Perry as part of a three-fight target list earlier this year. Diaz has openly admitted he has unfinished business in combat sports, aiming to capture gold before he retires.
His signing with MVP raises questions among MMA fans about whether the UFC had discussions with him beforehand, similar to what we saw with Rousey. She revealed she had talks with UFC CEO Dana White before announcing her Netflix fight against Carano, though she later criticised the UFC as a shadow of its former self, saying it no longer delivers the best fights.
While Diaz is undoubtedly the bigger name, Perry brings his own intensity to the card. Known as 'Platinum', Perry had a stint in McGregor’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship after leaving the UFC in 2021. He, too, has boxed and lost to Jake Paul before making a comeback to combat sports with a win over Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 last October.
Perry isn’t holding back, stating, “The King of Violence returns to MMA to elbow his opponent in the face.” The fight is set to be streamed on Netflix, with Perry promising Diaz will go “lights out” on May 16.
Nakisa Bidarian, MVP’s CEO, commented on the event’s massive potential, highlighting their record-breaking boxing viewership and expecting to smash those records again with this MMA card. He emphasised the matchup intensity, calling Diaz “the Real BMF” and Perry “the King of Violence", promising a battle from the first press conference through to the final bell.
This event in Los Angeles looks to be one of the biggest nights in combat sports, and Netflix’s involvement signals a bright future for MMA’s growth. More bouts for the card are expected to be announced soon, so keep an eye out for updates as the date approaches.
