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Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
Open To Talks

Wilder 'very interested' in Joshua unification fight, says American's co-manager

Negotiations for a fight between Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua broke down earlier this year.

DEONTAY WILDER IS “very interested” in facing Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight unification fight after retaining his WBC belt courtesy of a contentious draw against Tyson Fury, according to his co-manager Shelly Finkel.

Wilder twice knocked down Fury at the weekend but otherwise struggled against the Briton, who believed he should have won and was outraged with the judges’ controversial failure to separate the pair.

Fury and his team have consequently called for a rematch, yet Wilder appears to be again showing interest in facing Joshua.

The 29-year-old holds the WBA, IBF and WBO belts and has a Wembley date booked for April against an as yet unnamed opponent.

Negotiations for a fight between Wilder and Joshua broke down earlier this year and Finkel says that the American’s camp would require talks to be more discreet this time.

We’re very interested in the fight [with Joshua],” Finkel told Sky Sports. “If he wants to be professional and keep it in a private discussion, I’m open to it.

“If everything is in the paper, I have no desire to discuss anything and let him go fight who he wants.”

Both Wilder (40-0-1) and Joshua (22-0) remain undefeated, the latter having beaten Alexander Povetkin in his last Wembley bout in September.

Meanwhile, Fury believes Wilder will try to avoid a rematch with him “at all costs” after their epic draw in Los Angeles.

“I’ve got a funny feeling [Wilder] is going to get his running shoes out and stay away from me at all costs,” he told Britain’s ITV network.

“I’m only getting better, and better and better. I can beat them all but they need to fight me.”

Additional reporting by Sinéad Farrell

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