Deontay Wilder Says Anthony Joshua’s Meltdown was Long in the Making
Opinions continue to roll in following unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk’s (20-0, 13 KOs) rematch win over former unified champion Anthony “AJ” Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) on August 20. It’s more than just back-and-forth banter on boxing message boards and social media. Fighters are giving their takes as well, and this includes former WBC champ Deontay Wilder (42-2-1, 41 KOs).
EVERYONE HAS THEIR TAKE
Wilder, a long-time rival of AJ, offered up his two cents while preparing for his October 15 fight against Robert Helenius (31-3, 20 KOs). He was asked by ESNEWS about what he thought of Usyk’s victory. Predicting a Usyk win, Wilder said he came to this conclusion based on their body language. He feels the unified champ knows who he is and believes in his abilities. Conversely, Joshua is someone who lacks confidence and is not his authentic self.
AJ’s behavior immediately after the bout has been the subject of discussions, as he became visibly upset. He grabbed the mic and went on a rant. Observers were left scratching their heads. In the estimation of many fans and pundits, the former unified champion had a meltdown. When asked about that moment, Wilder ultimately agreed.
CAVING IN?
“When you create such a fighter, give them everything, you bring them along, you try to avoid all the tough fights, when it boils down to the wire, and things start to go downhill, and you don’t really know who to trust and believe because you’ve been listening to all this fake stuff, you’ll have a mental breakdown.”
Wilder feels this is a cautionary tale. He wonders if Joshua is dealing with something that no one is aware of and suggests he gets examined.
Wilder’s assertion that Joshua is a protected fighter is a debatable point. AJ has defended the titles against top ten rated heavyweights such as Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Kubrat Pulev, Andy Ruiz, and Alexander Povetkin. That is far from being protected, and one can make the case is far better than Wilder’s resume.
Both fighters once sat atop the division as champions, positioned as the biggest fight in boxing. Their fight never materialized and remained a missed opportunity for the sport. Yet even minus the belts, fans are still intrigued in with the battle. Hopefully they finally settle the score when looking towards 2023.
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By: Michael Wilson Jr.
