Joshua and Wilder Rumored to Fight on the Same (Stacked) Card Next Month
By Eddie Sanchez
With Fury vs Usyk not being targeted until the first quarter of 2024, there was a vacant card for December 23rd.
According to numerous sources, it looks like Saudi will now play host to Joshua and Wilder, however, the rival heavyweights will not be facing each other.
It’s reported that Joshua has agreed to fight Otto Wallin, who famously gave Fury a tough night and cut him when they fought in 2019.
Meanwhile, Wilder has agreed to fight fellow ex-champion Joseph Parker, who was dethroned by Joshua in 2018.
Also rumored to make his return on the card is Dmitry Bivol, who may be looking towards Richard Rivera as his opponent.
Elevating the card further, heavyweight contenders Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois are also rumored to be staging their own fights, though neither have confirmed opponents yet.
While there is much star power on this card, assuming plans follow through with a confirmation, it is quite disappointing that we aren’t getting Wilder versus Joshua as the headliner.
It’s hoped that Joshua and Wilder fighting on the same card will finally set up a fight between them in 2024. If this does come to fruition, it would be seven years after they initially began discussions.
Representatives for Joshua and Wilder in fact agreed terms over the summer for a fight in Saudi Arabia this December.
However, this fell through following a misunderstanding of who was in charge in the landscape of boxing in Saudi.
As far as fan interest goes, the boxing public can’t help but look towards their eventual matchup. This goes for writers, fans, and fighters alike.
“I think Wilder will get him. I think he’ll get him because of the big shot, and because of the style Joshua fights. He stands off and he’s open, and when you’re open that way (Wilder) will get the right hand on you,” claimed Evander Holyfield.
For the sake of boxing, let’s hope both men are victorious, so we can finally see this fantastic matchup.
